Like Brothers
by little-took-lassie3
Summary: Merry Brandybuck never really cared for his little cousin Pippin Took. He talked too much and never sat still. But after a few events, the two become the best of friends. Very cute . Please Review. Ch. 14 is now up! FINALLY!
1. Reading and Writing

Like Brothers  
  
Chapter 1  
  
Reading and Writing  
  
Pearl stormed through Brandy Hall. The quiet, rainy evening had been filled with screams of frustration as she searched frantically for her little brother who had been missing for quite some time. She opened the door to Merry Brandybuck's room, "Meriadoc Brandybuck!"  
  
Merry lie on the floor on his belly, with a book propped up in front of him. He looked up, "What?"  
  
"You know very well what," Pearl said, "Why aren't you looking for Pippin? You're the one who lost him!"  
  
"He's not lost..."  
  
"You know where he is, don't you? What have you done, Meriadoc? Where is he?"  
  
"Nothing. And I seriously have no idea where he is."  
  
Pearl stomped her foot angrily, "I know you have something to do with this! Where's my brother?"  
  
"I told you, I don't know. All I know is that he's hiding somewhere."  
  
"And why would he be hiding? What did you do?"  
  
"Nothing," Merry said in a tone that Pearl did not take seriously.  
  
"Merry, you were only supposed to be taking care of him--"  
  
"Only because you got tired of him... so you dumped him with me!"  
  
"I had to help Mother and Auntie with dinner!"  
  
Merry rolled his eyes, and returned to reading his book.  
  
"Merry, I would of never left little Pippy with such an irresponsible hobbit, but he INSISTED of going with you! Merry, he looks up to you! And you lost him!"  
  
"I didn't lose him."  
  
"Then where is he?"  
  
"I don't know!" Merry was starting to get angry with Pearl. His mama always told him to be a gentlemen with girls, but Pearl was the worst.  
  
"Merry, he's only six years old! What if he went outside? It's pouring! My poor little brother--"  
  
"We found him," said Pimpernel as she and Pervinca walked into the room with a smiling Pippin behind them.  
  
Pearl rushed over to Pippin, "Where were you?"  
  
"Hiding."  
  
"Why, Pippy?"  
  
" I was playing hide and seek with Merry," he said proudly.  
  
Pearl sent Merry an angry look. Merry ignored it; he picked up his book and began to read. He knew Pippin was hiding. He told him to hide and that he would go look for him. And when Pippin hid, Merry didn't seek. He thought this little scheme up when he heard the Tooks would be visiting. As cute as the lad seemed, he was rather annoying.  
  
Pippin ran over to Merry, "I was hiding really good, wasn't I Merry?"  
  
"Sure was," Merry said, his nose still in the book.  
  
"You couldn't find me, because I found a REALLY good place to hide! You want to know where it is, Merry?"  
  
"No."  
  
"You want to play again, Merry?"  
  
"Sure. Go hide."  
  
Pippin grinned and began to run off to hide again, but Pearl stopped him, "No, Pippy. That's enough hide and seek for tonight."  
  
"But, Pearl! Why?"  
  
Without answering her little brother's question she turned to her sisters, "Take care of Pippin, will you?"  
  
The two nodded. Pimpernel took Pippin by the hand and the three left.  
  
Pervinca sighed. She looked at Merry who continued to read his book, "You know, Merry... Pippin really likes you. You're like his brother in a way... I don't understand why you hate the lad so much."  
  
Merry said nothing.  
  
"Did you hear me?"  
  
Merry sighed, "Pearl, it's not that I hate him. But... well.... Pippin can find himself another 'brother'. One that can put up with his annoying little ways."  
  
Pearl shook her head, "Fine, Merry. Fine. Just don't ever play this hide and seek game with my brother ever again."  
  
"Fine."  
  
Pearl turned and left.  
  
Merry sat his book aside. He honestly wasn't even reading it. He picked it up as soon as he heard the angry screams from his cousin Pearl. He stood and walked to the window. It was still raining. That means the Tooks would be staying the night. Merry thought about the idea and then frowned. He would have to share a room with Pippin for sure. There were only two guest rooms. One with one bed, and the other with two. His aunt Eglantine and uncle Saradoc would surely get one room to themselves. And of course the girls would too. Yes, it looked like it was going to be a long night tonight.  
  
It wasn't like Merry always disliked his cousin. He was rather cute in the beginning. But he got annoying and tiresome quickly. It seemed like the small Took had an endless supply of energy and a lot of the times Merry was unable to compete. He was less annoying when he was just a babe, and unable to speak, but when he learned how, it was endless. Even when the lad knew only three words, including Merry's name, he was one of the most talkative hobbits Merry ever came across. And the babe never seemed to talk the sort of baby nonsense that came from most little, year old hobbits... it was always a command...  
  
"Merry! Merry! Ball! Merry! Merry! Merry! Merry! Merry! Merry! Up! Merry! Merry! Merry! Up! Up! Merry! Ball! Merry! Merry! Merry! Merry! Merry! Merry! Merry!"  
  
It grew worse when the hobbit finally gained some intelligence and began to construct sentences. And even worse... questions...  
  
" Merry, What're you doing? Merry, why don't you have any brother or sisters? Merry, what's for breakfast? Merry, can I help? Merry, can you show me how to read? Merry, can we go fishing? Merry, what's for second breakfast? Merry, why don't we play a game? Merry, can you teach me how to swim? Merry, what's for lunch? Merry, why can't I ever find you? Merry--"   
  
It drove him insane. He didn't mind taking care of the scamp every now and then, but lately they've been leaving Merry with Pippin-duty a little too much for his taste.  
  
Merry laid down on his bed and closed his eyes, relaxing. Some minutes later he opened his eyes to find his little cousin starring at him. The little hobbit was very short, his eyes large and green barely peeking over the side of the bed. His hair was chestnut brown. All the hobbit lasses found him to be the most adorable thing they've ever seen, but Merry thought differently.  
  
Pippin jumped on the bed and Merry sat up. Pippin, as usual, had a wide grin on his face. He cocked his head to one side, "Were you sleeping, Merry?"  
  
"No, Pippin... I wasn't"  
  
"Auntie told me that you and I are to share a room tonight, Merry."  
  
"I thought so..."  
  
"She told me... do you know what she told me?... she told me we aren't to stay up too late having too much fun, Merry."  
  
"Really?"  
  
Pippin nodded, "Yes, but that doesn't mean we can't have any fun. Right, Merry? Merry, we can still have fun, but we can't stay up past nine. That's what she told me Merry. She told me we can't stay up past nine, but that doesn't mean we can't have any fun," Pippin spoke in a manner as if his tiny little head held the most vital information, and he must try to make it understandable to his cousin, who was more than twice his age. "Merry, I was thinking... do you know what I was thinking?... I was thinking that you could help me learn to read. My sisters... do you know what they say? Do you know, Merry?"  
  
Merry shook his head, "What?" Merry was starting to get tired of this endless conversation.  
  
"They say... Merry they say I'm too little. They say that I'm too little and I can't read. So I tell them... do you know what I tell them, Merry?... I tell them "no" I tell them Merry, that I will learn how, because you said. Merry, you said, remember? You said you were going to show me. And so I tell them and they say that you lie, Merry. They say you lie. And I tell them "no" I tell them, "Merry's my friend and he doesn't lie". And you don't Merry. You're my friend."  
  
Merry looked at his small cousin. He thought about what Pearl said earlier... about how Pippin sees him as a brother. He thought about what he had said earlier... about how Pippin should find another "brother". He felt bad. He guessed he could put up with the little hobbit for the night; he could show him how to read. Just a little. Keep him content. Just show him a few letters of the alphabet and let him practice. Easy.  
  
Merry smiled, "So you want to learn how to read, Pippin?"  
  
Pippin's smile became twice as wide, if possible, "Yes!"  
  
"Alright then, let's get started," Merry said getting up from the bed and walking a dresser in the corner of his room. He pulled out some things that he would need. He found some parchment, a quill, ink well, and blotter. Pippin watched Merry set these things down at a small desk. He pulled up two chairs, "Set right here, Pippin."  
  
Pippin obeyed. He watched Merry dip the quill in ink and write something out on a piece of parchment.  
  
Merry spelled out: 'PEREGRIN' He looked at Pippin, "Have any idea what this says?"  
  
Pippin studied it. A few long seconds past and Pippin looked up at Merry, "Cow?"  
  
Merry laughed, "No, Pippin, that's your name."  
  
"My name? My name? It looks odd... That's not my name."  
  
"Here, let me show you." Merry dipped the quill in ink, and began to write out the alphabet. He showed him how to pronounce each letter. The hobbit caught on quickly, and Merry felt proud. Maybe the lad wasn't that annoying.  
  
Time passed, and before the two hobbits knew it, it was nine o' clock. Merry kept his eyes on the door, knowing either his mama or aunt Eglantine would be coming to tell them it was time for bed. He didn't want to go to bed, and it surprised even himself. He never spent this much quality time with Pippin before and he was learning a lot about his cousin. Like he was very smart for his age. Within an hour and a quarter Pippin had completely memorized the alphabet, but of course it was only capital letters.   
  
"P-E-R-E-G-R-I-N," Pippin said as he spelled out his name for the twentieth time, "Peregrin."  
  
The door squeaked, and Pippin's mother peered into the room, "Time for bed, boys." She stopped and looked at the two of them. She walked in to the room, and approached them, "What's this?" She turned to her nephew, "Did you show him how to spell his name?"  
  
Merry nodded, "And the alphabet."  
  
"T-O-O-K," continued Pippin, "Took."  
  
"He's really good, Auntie," said Merry, "He learns fast."  
  
Eglantine smiled, "Meriadoc, you're an angel. Taking your time to tutor my boy..." his aunt kissed him on the forehead, and Merry blushed.  
  
She kissed Pippin too, and Pippin smiled up at her, "Do you see, Mother? I can spell!"  
  
She smiled back, "Yes, yes, but Pippin, sweetie, it's time for bed."  
  
Pippin nodded. He was never one to disobey his mother. He climbed in to bed, and Merry followed.  
  
"Good night, Mother," Pippin whispered softly.  
  
"Good night," She kissed him again and walked towards the door, "Good night, Merry."  
  
"Good night, Aunt Eglantine."  
  
------  
  
So, how's this story so far? Should I continue? Please review with suggestions and your thoughts, they are truely appreciated. 


	2. Pippin Shows Off

Like Brothers  
  
Chapter 2  
  
Pippin Shows Off  
  
Merry awoke the next morning. Almost instantly he heard the sound of raindrops hitting the window. It was still raining. He reluctantly sat up and saw that Pippin was already awake. He sit at the small desk writing something. Merry yawned, "What are you doing, Pippin?" He got up from bed and walked over to his cousin. There was a small stack of parchment next to him.   
  
Merry picked one up:  
  
'PEREGRIN TOOK... PEREGRIN TOOK... PEREGRIN TOOK...' it read over and over again.  
  
"Pippin, how long have you been awake?"  
  
The little hobbit didn't answer. Merry looked at him. His small face wrinkled with extreme concentration, and his tiny had grasped a quill tightly; it slid across the piece of parchment slowly and carefully:  
  
'PIPPIN... PIPPIN... PIPPIN... PIPPIN...PIPPIN...'  
  
Merry stared at the writing, "I didn't show you this... How did you figure out how to spell 'Pippin'?"  
  
"I sounded it out. Like you said, Merry. Sounded it out... P-I-P-P-I-N. Is it right, Merry? Is that how it's spelled?"  
  
Merry nodded, "P-I-P-P-I-N... that's how it's spelled."  
  
Pippin dug through the pile of parchment. He pulled one out and handed it to Merry, "I tried to spell your name, Merry, but I'm not sure it's right... I don't think I have it yet... Did I get it?"  
  
Merry looked over the writing. There were multiple spellings of 'Merry', each one crossed out after the other:  
  
'MERI... MERE... MERREE... MERY... MERRI'  
  
"But I think I figured it out, Merry. I was thinking... Merry, I was thinking really hard... And I sounded out your name... Meeeeer-reeeeeeee. Is it, spelled M-E-R-R-....Y? M-E-R-R-Y? Is that it?"  
  
Merry was impressed, "... M-E-R-R-Y... Aye, that's it, Pippin."  
  
Pippin clapped his hands, "M-E-R-R-Y... M-E-R-R-Y... M-E-R-R-Y..." Pippin repeated to himself. He dipped his quill in ink, "Meeeer-reee."  
  
Merry sat beside Pippin, on the chair next to his, and watched Pippin spell out his name over and over again. Pippin stopped and thought for a while, "Merry?"  
  
"Yes, Pippin?"  
  
"How do you spell 'Brandybuck'? Wait! Don't tell me..." Pippin paused, "Brrraaaaaaaaann-deeeeeeee-buuuuuuuuuk.... B-R-A.....N-D...Y?"  
  
Merry nodded.  
  
"Right. B-R-A-N-D-Y....B....U....K?"  
  
Merry shook his head, "No. It's B-R-A-N-D-Y-B-U-C-K."  
  
Pippin frowned, "O..."  
  
Merry frowned too, disappointed to see a frown on his cheerful cousin's face, "It's alright, Pippin... We'll practice writing again after breakfast."  
  
Pippin's smile reappeared, "Really? You'll show my how to spell 'Brandybuck'? And, and other words, and--"  
  
"Yes, Pippin, yes! But after breakfast, alright?"  
  
Pippin nodded. The little hobbit jumped out of his chair and gathered all the pieces of parchment, "I'm going to go show Father, and Mother... and Pervinca, Pearl, and Pimpernel, and-- Everyone!" Pippin exclaimed. He ran out of the room quickly, leaving a smiling, chuckling Merry behind.  
  
If someone wasn't awake in Brandy Hall, they were now. Pippin ran loudly down the hall, occasionally dropping some parchment and running back to get it. He ran to where his sisters slept. He found Pervinca and Pimpernel awake.  
  
"Pippy, what is it?"  
  
"What do you have there?"  
  
Pippin stood at the doorway bouncing up and down, grinning from ear to ear.  
  
Pimpernel went to Pearl's bed, "Pearl? Wake up. Pippin's here... he looks eager about something..." Pimpernel shook his sister awake.  
  
"Mmmm, What?" Pearl sat up and rubbed her eyes sleepily.  
  
Pippin rushed over to Pearl and jumped on her bed; he dropped the pile of parchments in front of her.  
  
"What's this?"  
  
Pippin said nothing, but bounced up and down excitedly.  
  
The three Took sisters crowded around their brother, looking over what Pippin had wrote.  
  
"Pippin, you wrote this?" asked Pimpernel.  
  
Pippin nodded, "Yes! See? I spelled my name! I spelled it!"  
  
"How?" asked Pervinca.  
  
"Merry showed me. He showed me how, because he told me he would. I told you! I told you he doesn't lie! I told you!"  
  
Pearl, Pimpernel, and Pervinca looked at each other, then returned to look over Pippin's work.  
  
"He showed me the alphabet! The WHOLE alphabet. He showed how each letter sounded like! And then he said that later, after breakfast, he would show me more!"  
  
"Good job, Pippy," breathed Pervinca.  
  
"That's my little brother," said Pimpernel.  
  
Merry walked into the room and sat next to Pippin on Pearl's bed. He looked up at Pearl, "Liar, am I?"  
  
Pearl starred blankly at him. She looked down at her brother, "Pippy, why don't you go and show Mother and Father, now?"  
  
Pippin nodded, he gathered his things, and he, Pimpernel, and Pervinca headed to their parents room.  
  
Pearl turned to Merry, "Thank you."  
  
"For what?"  
  
"For taking time to help Pippin; for keeping your word," she said softly, "And, also, I'm sorry for telling Pippin you were a liar. I guess... I guess I was wrong about you, Meriadoc."  
  
Merry blushed slightly, "O... it was... I just... well, Pippin isn't as annoying as I thought him to be... I guess I was wrong about him as well..." he said shrugging his shoulders, "Anyway, he's a good lad. And intelligent, like you."  
  
Pearl smiled, "Come on, let's go see what the others are doing."  
  
Merry and Pearl walked down the hall to the next room. There, they found Paladin Took sitting up in bed with his son on his lap, showing off his new skills. A happy Eglantine Took stood at the bed side, smiling. Pimpernel and Pervinca sat besides their father.  
  
"...W...X...Y... and Z!" Pippin completed reciting the alphabet and everyone clapped for him.  
  
"Good job, lad," Paladin said giving his son a gentle pat on the head.  
  
Merry leaned against the wall, with his arms crossed, smiling proudly. He watched the Took family talk excitedly about Pippin's new talent. Merry's parents soon walked into the room. His mama turned to him, "What's going on, Merry?"  
  
"Pippin's just showing off his spelling skills."  
  
"Spelling?"  
  
"Meriadoc taught him how to spell his name and such last night," said Pearl.  
  
"Did you?" Saradoc said in a slightly surprised tone.  
  
Merry's face turned slightly red.  
  
"And Father," piped Pippin, "I can spell Merry's name too!"  
  
Everyone looked to Merry, and he turned redder.  
  
Pippin cleared his throat, and everyone turned their attention back to Pippin, "M-E-R-R-Y."  
  
They all clapped.  
  
"Bravo!"  
  
"O, isn't it adorable?"  
  
"He's so gifted!"  
  
"Merry's quite the tutor!"  
  
"Hooray for Pippin!"  
  
"He's so intelligent!"  
  
Never before had Pippin had this much attention. He looked at Merry and grinned at him. Merry grinned back. Pippin called out to him, "Merry! Tell them how you're going to show me more words after breakfast! Tell them!" Pippin turned to his mother, "He said he was going to show me more after breakfast."  
  
"Are you, Meriadoc?" asked his mother.  
  
Merry simply nodded.  
  
"Merry's going to show me every single word there is in Middle Earth!"  
  
Everyone laughed, amused with the adorable little hobbit.  
  
"Isn't that cute?"  
  
"He's so sweet..."  
  
"That's my boy," chuckled his father.  
  
"Well," sighed Esmeralda Brandybuck, "I bet get started with breakfast."  
  
"I'll help," said Eglantine.  
  
"Me too," said Pearl.  
  
As soon as the three left, those that remained in the room quickly directed their attention back to Pippin.  
  
"Recite the alphabet again, Pippy!" exclaimed Pervinca.  
  
"Yes, recite it again!" agreed Pimpernel.  
  
"A...B...C...D...E...F...G..."  
  
Merry laughed to himself. He was glad to see Pippin so happy and content. And for once, everyone was pleased with him. For once no one scolded him for being mean towards his cousin. He thought today would be one of the first, that he would be able to live the day without hearing, 'Behave yourself Meriadoc!' or, 'Be a gentleman, Meriadoc!'   
  
Today would be a good day. 


	3. Worms

Like Brothers  
  
Chapter 3  
  
Worms  
  
During breakfast Pippin continued to perform his new talent, He tried spelling everything that was on his plate. He got nearly everything correct, but he missed. 'toast' and 'sausage'  
  
Still the Brandybucks and Tooks were greatly impressed. Pippin's mother and father seemed to glow with pride. Everyone seemed to mention over and over again that Pippin was remarkable and the most intelligent six year old they've ever witnessed. They also praised Merry for his wonderful teaching skills.  
  
"Merry's going to show me more after breakfast. Aren't you, Merry?" Pippin asked every few minutes. And Merry simply answered with a nod of his head.  
  
Merry ate breakfast silently. He wasn't really paying any attention to the conversation that took place during breakfast. He was trying to think about what he was going to teach Pippin later on that day. He thought he would show Pippin lower case letters, and let him practice with that. He supposed that Pippin would be asking him how to spell all sorts of words, so Merry would go over those as well.  
  
As soon as everyone finished breakfast, Pippin rushed over to Merry, "Come on let's get started!" He grabbed Merry by the wrist and tugged, but Merry remained motionless, "Come on!"  
  
Merry had a sly grin on his face. He watched the little hobbit tug and pull for him to move, "Come on! Come on!" He released his grip on Merry. Pippin put his hands on his hips, "Very funny," he said shortly.  
  
Merry laughed. Pervinca and Pimpernel's giggles were also heard from behind. Merry crossed his arms, and stuck his nose in the air as a stubborn child would do if they didn't get their way, refusing to move.  
  
Pippin walked behind Merry. He put his hands on Merry's back, and leaned all his weight on him, "Merry! Come ON!" He pushed harder and the little hobbits feet slid slightly, and he almost lost his balance, "Merry! Merry, this ISN'T FUNNY!"  
  
Merry laughed again.  
  
"Come on, Merry. That's enough," said Pearl.  
  
Merry relaxed, allowing his cousin to push him down the hall and into his room. Both of them laughing as they went. Once they were inside the room, Pippin immediately ran to the small desk, where they practiced the night before. He bounced up and down in his chair, "What're we going to do today, Merry? What're you going to show me today?"  
  
Merry took a seat next to Pippin, "Well, let's see..."  
  
"Merry, can we learn some new words? Can we? I need to know how to spell 'Brandybuck'! What did I do wrong last time? Are you going to show me the right way to spell 'toast'? How about the--"  
  
"Calm down!" chuckled Merry, "Let me think..." he paused, "Right... I was going to show you lower case letters."  
  
"What's that?"  
  
"Remember the alphabet?"  
  
"Sure I do! Of course I do! A...B...C...D...E--"  
  
"Wait, wait, wait!"  
  
Pippin stopped, "What? Did I do it wrong? What did I do, Merry?"  
  
"There's more."  
  
"What? More what? Letters? I thought you showed me the WHOLE alphabet!"  
  
"I did. Well... look..." he picked up a quill and dipped it in ink. On a clean spread of parchment, he wrote, 'A'. "What's this?" he asked Pippin.  
  
"That's A."  
  
"Right. Now every letter of the alphabet has two parts to it. Yesterday, I showed you the entire alphabet, but only in capital letters. There are capital letters and lower case letters."  
  
Pippin gave Merry a confused look.  
  
"Um... You see Pippin, the letters I showed you the other night have a... er... partner."  
  
"A partner?"  
  
Merry nodded, "Right," he wrote, 'a', "This is A's partner. Its a lower case letter. Get it?"  
  
Pippin studied the two figures for a while, "I think so... Merry? Why do they need partners?"  
  
"Well, when you write you have to combine the two... When you spell things, they are normally in lower cases. Except when its a name. In that case the first letter is capital and the rest are--"  
  
"Lower cases."  
  
"Right. The same is with sentences. The first letter of every sentence is capital--"  
  
"And the rest are lower cases..."  
  
Merry nodded.  
  
"Merry? What's a sentence?  
  
"Er... never mind that. I'll go over sentences some other time. Here, let me show you the entire alphabet in lower case letters."  
  
Pippin practiced writing the alphabet in both capital and lower cases. After a while, the hobbit didn't need to look at Merry's example, and could do it from memory. "I think I'm getting it, Merry."  
  
Merry smiled, "Good." He looked out the window and noticed that it wasn't raining anymore. In the sky hung dark clouds, but it still looked a lot more welcoming than it had been for the last two days of nonstop rain. Merry found that he missed the outdoors greatly, and longed to get out of the house.  
  
Pippin completed writing the alphabet out for the thirtieth time, "What now, Merry?"  
  
"What? O, right... Now I'll show you how to spell your name using both capital and lower case letters." He took the quill and spelled out, 'Peregrin Took'. Pippin practiced this for several minutes, and all the while, Merry starred out the window. The outdoors seemed to be calling for him as the gray skies seemed to slowly disappear, and the sun shined for what seemed like the first time in ages.  
  
Merry looked down at Pippin, "Well, that's enough for today, Pippin."  
  
"What? But... but Merry... it's barely been an hour and a half! We practiced for three yesterday! O, please, Merry! Can't we practice for just one more hour? Please?"  
  
Merry glanced at Pippin, then out the window, "Pippin... I promise we'll practice later on today, alright? We'll practice tonight for a whole hour, alright Pippin?"  
  
Pippin bowed his head sadly, and nodded, "OK... but you promise?"  
  
"Sure."  
  
Pippin smiled again. Merry smiled back; he left the room and walked towards the front door. Pippin chased after him, "So what are we going to do now, Merry?"  
  
Merry looked down at his cousin, "Pippin... why don't you go play with your sisters? Hm? Show them what you learned today."  
  
"No. I want to go with you, Merry."  
  
"But...er...Pippin," Merry looked at those huge green eyes, that once had no effect on him, but for some reason they now did, "O... fine. Come on, Pippin."  
  
Pippin squealed with joy. Merry opened the door, and they went outside.  
  
"What are we going to do, Merry? Hide and seek?"  
  
Merry thought about it. He could easily get rid of Pippin with hide and seek again, but those eyes..."Pippin... I'm tired of hide and seek. Let's find something else to do."  
  
"Alright!" Pippin looked around. He looked down at his feet, "O! Look! A worm! Look, another one over there! And another! And another, Merry, see? Why are there so many worms? Do you know why, Merry?"  
  
"They always come out when it rains."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"I don't know. They just do."  
  
"I can count to ten, Merry. I can count all the way up to ten. I bet there's a whole lot more than ten worms out here!"  
  
Pippin began to run around collecting worms so that he could count them. Merry walked over to a tree, and sat beneath it.  
  
"Merry!" called Pippin, "You have to look too! We have to find ALL the worms, so that we can count them!"  
  
"I am! I'm looking right here!" Merry lied. He pawed at the ground pretending that he was looking for worms, but the truth was he was just trying to relax and enjoy the outdoors. He leaned against the tree's trunk. It seemed like he had been locked up in Brandy Hall forever, and the fresh air was a breathe of relief.  
  
Pippin ran over to Merry and dropped a mess of worms at his feet, "I saw more over there, Merry," he said pointing somewhere off in the distance, "I'll go get them!" he said running in that direction.  
  
Merry sighed. Hide and seek was starting to look like a very attractive game. He thought about it again and again, but every time those green eyes locked with his, he felt he couldn't do it. He figured it out... those eyes held a secret hypnotic power. They made everyone fall in love with him and give him whatever he desired. They made all the girls go, "Awwww..." and made them believe that he was indeed the most adorable thing they ever saw. They made all the adults go crazy, by making mothers give him cookies and cake, and by making fathers everywhere talk about what a good strong lad he was. Those eyes were it. Merry was certain. And he was foolish enough to fall under their spell.  
  
Pippin returned with more worms, "How many are there, Merry?"  
  
Merry counted, "Twenty-six."  
  
"Do you think that's all? I better make sure!" he ran off and checked to see if he missed any worms, checking under rocks, behind shrubs, and so on. He returned once again, "No. I got them all." He looked at Merry, "What do we do now, Merry?"  
  
"Why don't you go and see Pearl and the others?"  
  
"No. I want to stay with you."  
  
Merry thought for a bit, "Are you sure you got ALL the worms? Why don't you check again?"  
  
"No. I got them all."  
  
"Are you sure? Did you check down there, across the road... in those bushes, see?"  
  
Pippin gasped, "I forgot!" He ran off to go look, and Merry quietly slipped back indoors.   
  
"That should keep him out if my hair for a while," he said to himself as he walked back to his room. He stretched out on his bed. He had not noticed how exhausted he was until now, and it didn't take long for the hobbit to fall asleep. 


	4. Guilt

Like Brothers  
  
Chapter 4  
  
Guilt  
  
Merry awoke expecting to see Pippin at his bed side, but he wasn't. Nor was he at the writing desk where they practiced. Merry looked out the window and saw that it was raining again. He wondered if the Tooks had already left for home, or if they were still here. He wondered what time it was.  
  
"Meriadoc! Peregrin! It's time for dinner!"  
  
It was already time for dinner? That means Merry was asleep for more than five hours. He got up and walked to the dinning room. He saw Pearl setting the table. She looked up at him, "Where's Pippin?"  
  
Merry shrugged his shoulders, "I don't know."  
  
She set down the plates that she held in her hands and walked over to Merry. She wore a worried expression that made Merry feel uncomfortable. She spoke softly so that her mother and aunt would not hear, "What do you mean, 'I don't know,'? Merry, you were supposed to be looking after him. I thought you two were reading...," she drew a deep breathe, "Do you have any idea where he is?"  
  
"The last I saw him he was outside..."  
  
"Outside? Merry how long ago was this? It's been raining for hours!"  
  
"About noon... ish."  
  
"What? Merry, where have you been? Why did you leave Pippin by himself, outside? Are you mad? He's only six years old!"  
  
"I... I'm sorry," Merry said and he truly was. He and Pearl ran down the hall, to the front door.  
  
"Pippin!" Merry called.  
  
"Pippin!" Pearl called.  
  
The two continued to call for the hobbit for several minutes, standing under the shelter of the front porch.  
  
Merry ran out into the rain. The rain drops were extremely big, and they pelted Merry hard. He ran down to where he had told Pippin to look for more worms. Lightning struck and thunder sounded. "Pippin!" Merry called desperately.  
  
"Over here!" cried a small voice.   
  
Merry ran over to him. There he sat with his knees drawn upward against his chest, shivering, "Merry, I'm scared. I don't like the thunder! I'm scared, Merry!"  
  
Pippin was shaking not only because he was cold, but also because he was terrified. Merry took his hand, "Come on, Pippin."  
  
Pippin didn't move. He was too afraid. "I'm scared," he repeated, "Merry, I'm scared!" his voice quivered. The hobbit coughed; he was obviously sick from being out in the rain all day. Thunder sounded again and Pippin started to cry, "I'm scared! I don't like the thunder! I'm scared, Merry!"  
  
"It's alright! It's alright! Don't worry, Pippin! I got you!" Merry picked his cousin up in his arms. It was easy. The hobbit was only a third of his size, "It's alright," Merry said reassuringly. Pippin continued to cry.  
  
Thunder boomed and lightning flashed. Merry felt his cousin jump a little, and he grasped Merry more tightly, "I'm sssscaaared!" he cried loudly.  
  
"It's alright, we're almost inside..."  
  
Merry reached Pearl, and she took her brother from him, "O, Pippy! My poor, little brother!" she said as she and Merry took Pippin to Merry's room.  
  
They sat Pippin on Merry's bed. Pearl continued to fuss, "O sweetie, are you alright?"  
  
Pippin didn't answer he still cried and was shaking. Pervinca and Pimpernel came into the room, but before the two could react Pearl snapped at them, "Bring towels!" she ordered and the two ran off and quickly returned with several towels each.  
  
Pearl wrapped her crying brother up tightly with many towels, "Is that better are you warm?" Pippin sneezed and Pearl helped him blow his nose, "Pimpernel, go get mother!"  
  
But before Pimpernel could leave Eglantine Took rushed into the room, "My Pippin! My son! What happened?"  
  
"Mother!" Pippin cried, "Mother...my...head...hearts..." he said between loud sniffles, "And...my...nose...is...stu...ffffffyy!"  
  
"Come, let's get you out of these wet clothes," she turned to Merry, "Do you have a shirt that Pippin could borrow, dear?"  
  
Merry nodded and retrieved a shirt, the warmest he could find, "Here, Auntie."  
  
"Thank you, Merry."  
  
She removed Pippin's wet clothes and put on the shirt. It was several sizes too big and it fitted Pippin like a dress. She laid him down in Merry's bed, and tucked him in tightly, "You be sure and get plenty of rest, Pippin. Do you hear me?"  
  
Pippin nodded. Everyone began to leave so that Pippin would be able to fall asleep.  
  
"Merry?" Pippin squeaked.  
  
Merry turned around and looked at his cousin.   
  
"Don't leave, Merry. Please... stay with me. I'm scared of the thunder. I can't fall asleep here, by myself, and in the dark. Please, Merry..." he pleaded weakly.  
  
Merry pulled a chair up to Pippin's bed side. He looked at him, "I'm so sorry, Pippin."  
  
"Why? What did you do, Merry?" Pippin asked, "Merry, you saved me. You saved me, Merry..."  
  
Merry shook his head, "No. I didn't save you... all this..." Merry couldn't help but tear up a little, "All this was my fault, Pippin. It was my fault. I'm so sorry."  
  
"No. You listen to me, Merry Brandybuck," Pippin said in an adult like manner, "You saved me... saved me from the rain. Saved me from the thunder. Saved me from the lightning." Pippin coughed again, "I don't know what I would do without you, Merry..." his voice drifted a little as sleep slowly began to conquer the young hobbit, "I don't know what I would do..."  
  
Merry watched his cousin sleep peacefully. Every now and then Pippin would stir in his sleep and cough a bit.  
  
"Look what you've done, Meriadoc..." he said angrily to himself, "Look what you've done... You did this. Got your cousin sick. Left him outside... by himself... in a storm... What kind of heartless beast are you? What has he done to you, Meriadoc? What has Pippin done to you? He loved you. Admired you. And you leave him outside, huddled in the bushes being pelted by rain drops as big as his fist... scared to death... could have been struck by lightning... could have died... and it would have been your fault. You could have lost the Took's their only son..." Merry began to cry. Ashamed of the way he acted, "I'm so sorry," he whispered to his sleeping cousin, "I swear... I'll make it up to you, Pippin..." 


	5. Pneumonia

Like Brothers  
  
Chapter 5  
  
Pneumonia  
  
Pippin awoke sometime in the middle of the night. He was relieved to find that the storm had past, and all he could hear were the silent chirps of crickets outside. He saw his cousin Merry asleep, sitting up in the chair next to the bed. Pippin swallowed; his throat felt soar and he predicted that his mother would have him stay in bed for a few days. "I don't want to," he said to himself, "I need to practice." Pippin sat up and silently got out of bed. He walked over to the writing desk and sat down at his chair. He dipped his quill in ink and wrote:  
  
'Merry Brandybuck... Merry Brandybuck... Merry Brandybuck... Merry Brandybuck... Merry Brandybuck...' over and over again. He did it for half an hour.  
  
After a while he stopped and starred at the letters. He thought long and hard for a while, "Fffffffffffrrrrrr-eeeeeeeee-nnnnnnnd," he sounded out. Then he wrote:  
  
'Merry... Pippin.... friends.... Merry... Pippin.... friends.... Merry... Pippin.... friends...." Again he did this for half an hour.  
  
Pippin looked over at Merry who stirred a little in his sleep. Pippin held his breath; he didn't want Merry to wake up. Pippin looked nervously down at his parchment. If Merry wakes up, then he might be mad that he is out of bed, when he was supposed to be asleep. Pippin set down his quill and folded up the piece of parchment. He slipped back into bed. He looked down at the parchment, "I need to hide this," he looked around. He took it and slipped it under the mattress. Merry would never find it there, and Pippin would never get into any trouble.  
  
Pippin laid back down in bed. He coughed. Again he felt his throat, it was rough and he longed for a glass of water. He sat up and began to get up from bed.  
  
"Pippin?" Merry said sleepily, "Where are you going."  
  
"O... I just wanted some water, Merry," he said.  
  
"I'll get it for you. Lay back down... you shouldn't be getting out of bed."  
  
Pippin obeyed.  
  
Merry left and returned with Pippin's glass of water. He handed it to him, "Here you go."  
  
"Thank you."  
  
Merry watched his cousin take a few sips of water, "How are you feeling?"  
  
Pippin cleared his throat, "I'm alright, Merry."  
  
"Your voice sounds kind of rough," Merry said. He leaned closer to Pippin and felt his forehead, "Are you sure you feel alright?"  
  
Pippin nodded. He drank the last bit of water in his glass. He handed the empty glass to Merry and Merry sat it down on the table next to him. Pippin slipped back under the blankets, "Good night, Merry."  
  
"Good night."  
  
Pippin was tired and he fell asleep fast. It didn't take Merry much longer to allow sleep to defeat him as well. When he awoke he found Pippin still asleep. It was maybe eight in the morning. Merry stretched. His back hurt from sleeping sitting up all night. He starred at his sleeping cousin. He noticed that there was some sweat on his forehead. He felt his forehead; it was a lot warmer than it felt last night. The small hobbit moved restlessly and moaned quietly. Merry stood and walked down the hall to his parents' room. Brandy Hall was very quiet and he suspected that everyone was still asleep. He went to his mother's bed side, "Mama?" he whispered.  
  
Esmeralda Brandybuck woke up. She sat up and looked at her son, "What is it, Merry?"  
  
"I'm worried about Pippin... I felt his forehead and it felt hot..."  
  
"Did it?" she got out of bed and followed Merry to his room. She felt Pippin's forehead, "O my..." she looked at Merry, "He has quite a fever... I'm going to go and wake Saradoc. I'll tell him to go and fetch the healer. Pippin may need some treatment." She left the room.  
  
Merry sat down next to Pippin. He felt the worse sense of guilt ever. He grasped Pippin's hand, "I'm so sorry," he whispered to his cousin.  
  
**  
  
"Pneumonia?" Merry repeated after hearing the news.  
  
"O, no!" Pearl gasped, "Mother, what do we do?"  
  
Merry didn't hear the rest of the conversation. His mind seemed to block out what was happening in the world. Pneumonia? He walked down the hall to his room, but his father blocked his way, "No, lad."  
  
"But, Papa... I need to see Pippin!"  
  
Saradoc shook his head, "I'm sorry, but you can't."  
  
"But... but Papa, I can't leave him... I need to be with him, Papa!"  
  
"Merry!" cried a small, strained voice from inside the room.  
  
"See? He needs me!"  
  
Saradoc starred at his son, then nodded, "Fine."  
  
Merry rushed to Pippin's bed side. He looked at his cousin who seemed to have grown worse over the single hour they were apart. His small chest seemed to move up and down very fast, "Merry!" he said, "Merry, you're not going to leave me are you? Don't leave me, Merry. Please."  
  
"I won't Pippin. I promise."  
  
"I'm afraid you will have to, Merry. We can't risk anything," said Saradoc.  
  
"But... but Papa!"  
  
"I'm sorry. Do you want to catch it, Merry?"  
  
"I don't care! I need to be with him! Papa--"  
  
"Please, uncle Saradoc! Please, let Merry stay!"  
  
"Shhhh," he said to Pippin, "Get some rest, lad." He turned to Merry, "Come, let's get some second breakfast," he turned and began to leave, but stopped when he noticed his son did not follow, "Merry, did you hear me? Let's go."  
  
"I'm sorry, Papa, but I'm not leaving Pippin."  
  
"Lad, I won't let you. I don't want you getting sick."  
  
"I'm sorry..." Merry said. He looked down at his cousin, "I'm not leaving his side."  
  
Saradoc starred, "Meriadoc, this is serious... you can't stay here, do you understand?"  
  
Merry said nothing, but grasped Pippin's hand, showing his father that he didn't plan to leave. Saradoc left and walked to the room where everyone else was. Pearl and her sisters sat in the corner of the room. Both Pimpernel and Pervinca seemed to be in tears, but Pearl had managed not to cry. "What's going to happen to Pippy, Pearl? Is he going to die?" Sardoc heard her question her older sister. Pearl was the first to notice Saradoc, "Where's Merry?"   
  
They all starred at him. His wife approached him, "Where is Merry?"  
  
"He refuses to leave Peregrin."  
  
Everyone was silent. Paladin cleared his throat, "He'll come out eventually, I'm sure."  
  
"Yes," Esmeralda agreed.  
  
Eglantine nodded, "Yes. When I go in to give Pippin his herbal treatment I'll try to coax him out. I'm sure he will."  
  
**  
  
Merry sat on the chair next to Pippin's bedside. The two hobbits were quite, Merry thought about his father and how he reacted to Merry's statement about him not leaving Pippin. Never before had he seen such a look on his father's face. Merry thought about what his mother might have been thinking right now… and his aunt and uncle and Pearl. They were probably upset. But they didn't get it. It was his fault. And if it meant that Merry would have to catch pneumonia as well, in order to make sure that Pippin was alright, then so be it.  
  
"Merry?"  
  
"Yes, Pippin?"  
  
"You aren't going to leave me, are you Merry?"  
  
"I won't leave you. I promise," he said, "Go to sleep, Pippin. You need plenty of rest so that you can get better."  
  
"When I get better, can you teach me about sentences, Merry."  
  
Merry looked at him. He didn't want to think about the fact that Pippin might not even get better... might not even survive. "Sure, Pippin. Of course." 


	6. Meriadoc's Job

Like Brothers   
  
Chapter 6  
  
Meriadoc's Job  
  
Merry looked out the window. The sun shined like never before and normally on a day like this he would be outside, but he had to look after his cousin. He had to. Pippin had fallen asleep, but though he slept, Merry could tell that the hobbit was in much pain. His chest moved up and down as the lad breathed heavily. Merry wiped the sweat from Pippin's forehead with a wet cloth every few minutes. And every now and then, the small hobbit would gasp as if struggling for air, and it scared Merry. He thought about calling his mama every time this happened, but he didn't want Pippin to wake up and not find him there.  
  
Pippin stirred in his sleep and moaned, followed by a short gasp, and a series of coughing. Merry rubbed Pippin's back as Pippin coughed violently. After the fit, Pippin laid down, but did not fall asleep like he did so many times before. Instead he stared up at the ceiling, "Merry?"  
  
"Yes, Pippin?"  
  
"I don't want to forget the alphabet..."  
  
"What? Why would you forget, Pippin?"  
  
"I'm trying to remember it, but my head hurts, Merry. It hurts really bad... I can't think about some things... It hurts too much, Merry. But... but I don't want to forget it, Merry. Merry, I worked really hard to remember it! And I can't forget it!"  
  
"It's alright, Pippin," Merry paused, "I'll say it every now and then, so you don't forget, alright?"  
  
Pippin looked at Merry, "You would do that for me, Merry?"  
  
Merry nodded, "A... B... C... D... E... F... G... H... I... J... K... L... M... N... O... P... Q... R... S... T... U... V... W... X... Y... and--"  
  
"Z."  
  
"That's right."  
  
"Thank you, Merry."  
  
Merry smiled and Pippin smiled back, but their smiles didn't last very long, for Pippin began to cough again. Soon, Pippin's mother came in and gave Pippin his treatment that the healer had prescribed for him. After she did so she turned to Merry, "You don't have to do this..."  
  
"I know."  
  
"Will you be joining us for lunch?"  
  
"No. I'm fine."  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
Merry nodded, "I'll eat when Pippin eats."  
  
Eglantine stared at Merry for some time at he nephew, "Thank you," she said finally, "You're a good lad." And with that she left.  
  
Merry wasn't very sure what she had meant by that. He took his seat next to Pippin again. Pippin's eyes were fixed on the window. Merry looked at it too.  
  
"It's very sunny outside," said Pippin after a while.  
  
"It is."  
  
"I wish I could go outside. Don't you, Merry?"  
  
"Aye, that would be fine."  
  
"We could've went fishing... could've read... could've practiced our spelling... I'm sorry, Merry. I ruined it. But you can go out and have fun, Merry. You're not sick. You can leave, Merry... of you want to.. It's my fault we can't have any fun, but you don't have to stay--"  
  
"No, Pippin... it's not your fault. It's mine."  
  
Pippin shook his head, "No. It's my fault. Yesterday when you told me to go and look for some more worms... I didn't. I thought I'd be clever and hide, so that you couldn't find me. Hide and seek, remember? Remember, Merry? I hid and I guess you couldn't find me, because then it started to rain. I started to get up to go inside, but then I heard it... I heard the thunder. I heard the thunder and I saw the lightning. And I was scared. I was too scared to move... but you came and saved me, Merry. You saved me," Pippin spoke sleepily. The medicine had made him drowsy.  
  
"Pippin, it's still my fault... you see I--"  
  
"And then last night, Merry..." Pippin continued, "Last night I didn't rest like my mother told me to... I got up because I wanted to practice reading and writing. I got up and practiced for a whole hour... I'm sorry, Merry... I just wanted to practice so bad... If I didn't do it, I might've been better so that we could read... you could teach me sentences..." his voice trailed as sleep overcame him.  
  
Merry noticed the piece of parchment that stuck out from underneath the mattress. He pulled it out and read it:  
  
'Merry... Pippin... friends... Merry... Pippin... friends... "  
  
He looked down at his cousin, "We sure are, Pippin," he said, "We sure are."  
  
**  
  
About an hour later Eglantine returned with Pippin's treatment and two large bowls of mushroom soup, "Here you go, boys."  
  
"Thank you, Auntie."  
  
"Thank you, Mother."  
  
She sat on the bed next to her son, "How are you feeling? Better?"  
  
"I suppose..." the hobbit stared at his food blankly.  
  
"Aren't you hungry?" asked his mother.  
  
"Not very much..."  
  
"My poor Pippin," she kissed his forehead, "You really must try to eat, dear."  
  
Pippin took his spoon. He ate just a spoonful then put the spoon aside, "I'm finished."  
  
"No you aren't," said Eglantine, "Eat it ALL. You must be famished, you haven't eaten a thing all day! Look at your cousin, he's already half way finished."  
  
And Merry was. The soup was very delicious, "Come on, Pippin... eat."  
  
Pippin slowly, but surely ate all of his soup. His mother collected their empty bowls, ordered Pippin to get some sleep, and left.  
  
Before Pippin fell asleep he looked to Merry, "Can you say the alphabet again, Merry?"  
  
Merry nodded, "A... B... C... D... E... F... G... H... I... J... K... L... M... N... O... P... Q... R... S... T... U... V... W... X... Y... and--"  
  
"Z."  
  
"That's right."  
  
"Thank you, Merry."  
  
Pippin was asleep again.  
  
"How is he?"  
  
Merry looked up, "O... hullo, Pearl."  
  
"How is he?" she repeated.  
  
"Well..." Merry sighed, "He still has a very high fever, and he's coughing... a lot. He also told me that he has a headache and that it hurts. He's breathing very heavily, and I think it's tough for him to--" Merry stopped. He noticed that Pearl was crying, "Pearl? Pearl, are you alright?"  
  
"I'm sorry," she sniffed, "It's just... I love him... he's my brother..."  
  
Merry stared, "Well, of course... but... but don't cry. Please... if he wakes up and sees you crying he will think that it is his fault... Pearl... please..."  
  
Pearl had her face buried in her hands, and it muffled her small sobs.  
  
"Pearl," began Merry, "You can't cry. I'm not. I'm not crying and I care as much about him as you. I've been with him all night and all morning and I haven't cried. I made myself not cry... for him. Because I know it wouldn't do any good. Crying won't make Pippin better. Crying doesn't solve a thing."  
  
Pearl stopped. She nodded, "You're right," she wiped the tears from her eyes, "You're absolutely right," she paused, "Thank you."  
  
Merry said nothing. Why was everyone thanking him? What did he do? He was just doing what he was supposed to do... he had to look after Pippin... it was his job. As a cousin and friend... it was his job.  
  
-------  
  
Meriadoc sure has matured, huh? Um, well I was just going to mention that I'm taking a few days off for vacation, so you might not see anything up for this fic until Thursday... possibly sooner, but I doubt it. I'll try hard to find some time for this... but... yea... well, like I said... I'll try. 


	7. Smile

Like Brothers  
  
Chapter 7  
  
Smile  
  
"Pippin, you need to eat," Eglantine pleaded. Her son's condition wasn't any better. It was dinner time and all Pippin had ate was only one soup and had vomited it up some time ago. Eglantine looked to her nephew for help.  
  
"Pippin, eat," Merry said.  
  
Pippin just looked at Merry and shook his head.  
  
"No?" questioned Merry, "Fine," he pushed his own plate away, "Then I won't either."  
  
Pippin stared at Merry. He muttered something, but it was barely audible.  
  
"What?"  
  
"You have to eat, Merry," Pippin said weakly.  
  
"As do you."  
  
Again Pippin muttered something.  
  
"What?"  
  
Pippin didn't answer. He looked down at his food. They were all silent for a long time. Merry and his aunt waited for Pippin to eat, but he didn't. Finally they heard Pippin say quietly, "...alphabet..."  
  
"What?"  
  
"...alphabet..."  
  
"O..." Merry understood, "A... B... C... D... E... F... G... H... I... J... K... L... M... N... O... P... Q... R... S... T... U... V... W... X... Y... and..."  
  
Merry waited for Pippin to finish the alphabet like he always did, but Pippin remained silent. A few long seconds passed and Merry was about to complete it himself, but finally Pippin squeaked...  
  
"...Z..."  
  
Merry sighed a breathe of relief, "That's right."  
  
"................thank you."  
  
Pippin's voice sounded very weak, frail, and shaky. And Merry could tell that it hurt when he spoke.  
  
Merry looked at his aunt, "Maybe he'll be hungrier later..." he suggested.  
  
Eglantine sighed, "Then I'll be back later," she said collecting their plates. She looked at her son and blew him a kiss, and left.  
  
Pippin laid down again in bed and closed his eyes, "........alphabet..."  
  
"But I just--" Merry stopped, "Sure... uh, A... B... C... D... E... F... G... H... I... J... K... L... M... N... O... P... Q... R... S... T... U... V... W... X... Y... and..."  
  
Again a long pause, "...Z..."   
  
"That's right."  
  
".................thank you."  
  
Merry studied his sleeping cousin. His fine hair was tangled and a mess. His rosy cheeks were now a sickly, pale color, and his lips were colorless and an unhealthy grayish tone. And the worst feature... his smile was no longer found. The one thing that was always a promised item on the hobbit's face was lost.  
  
Pippin slept again. It was the only thing he was able to do. Every ten or fifteen he would say, without opening his eyes, in a very small voice, "... alphabet..." And Merry would recite it for him, and Pippin will fall asleep again.  
  
Two days passed, and Pippin's condition did not improve at all; he grew worse. Before the third day ended, the healer came. He told the Tooks that Pippin was extremely ill and that there was little hope, "The only thing I can do, is prescribe this," he held out a small bottle that was filled with red liquid, "I've used it before and it works wonders... saved Wilibald Bolger's life when he got pneumonia, but... I've never used it on a child so young. I don't know what kind of affect it would have on the boy. The medicine he is taking now, is obviously not strong enough, but if this is too strong... who knows what it would do to him."  
  
"We have to try it," said Merry.  
  
Eglantine and Paladin exchanged glances. Paladin nodded, "I agree."  
  
"Very well," said the healer, "Here you go," he handed the bottle to Eglantine, "A tablespoon every two hours." He looked for Paladin, to Eglantine, to a sleeping Peregrin, "If we don't see any changes within a day, we'll have to take him off the stuff..."  
  
"Then what?" asked Merry.  
  
The healer looked down at Merry, but didn't say anything.  
  
"...alpha...bet..." they heard Pippin gasp from the bed.  
  
Merry went to Pippin's bedside, "A... B... C... D... E... F... G... H... I... J... K... L... M... N... O... P... Q... R... S... T... U... V... W... X... Y... and..."  
  
Pippin didn't answer.  
  
"...Z..." Merry completed. He looked up at his aunt and uncle, "When can we give him the medicine?"  
  
"Not for another hour," answered the healer.  
  
Merry looked down at his cousin and watched him gasp for air, his small body rising then falling slowly, "He needs it now."  
  
"Lad, I wouldn't recommend it. I mean, I wouldn't know how he would react with--"  
  
"But we can do it?"  
  
"Well, yes. But I--"  
  
"Give it to him," said Merry without taking his eyes off of Pippin.  
  
The healer gaped at Merry for a while, "Meriadoc..."  
  
"We have to!" snapped Merry, "I know it! Please! What if he dies within the next hour? Please, I can't lose him! Please!" Merry begged. He looked at his aunt and uncle pleadingly.  
  
Eglantine nodded, "Give him the medicine."  
  
The healer obeyed.  
  
There was a moment were they all stared at Pippin for a long period of time, expecting him to magically heal before their eyes. After a few minutes, they knew that nothing was going to happen.  
  
"I'll return tomorrow morning," said the healer and he left.  
  
Time dragged slowly, but Merry stayed awake during the night. He made sure Pippin received the proper dose of medicine, at the proper time, and not a second left. A minute before the appropriate time, he would shout, "Auntie!" and Eglantine would rush in with Pippin's treatment. He would hold off his aunt, watching the dial carefully, then would signal for her to give his cousin the medicine.  
  
Pippin had not awoken since the healer came. And though Pippin didn't ask anymore, Merry continued to recite the alphabet every ten minutes. He suspected that the hobbit was unable to speak even if he tried, thus not able to ask for it. Merry also spelled out words for his cousin.   
  
Merry also discovered that he had developed a fear of looking away from Pippin, afraid that something would happen, good or bad, while he looked away. But about two in the morning after Pippin's fourth treatment, Merry found himself to be extremely tired. And as hard as he tried , sleep was too much, and he fell asleep.  
  
When Merry awoke some three hours later. He let out a small yelp, a combination of fear and surprise. He quickly looked at Pippin who still was asleep. Merry studied him for a while, "Auntie! Auntie!" he called.  
  
"What? What's wrong?" She looked at Merry, "What is it? He's not supposed to take his medicine for another hour..."  
  
Merry pointed at Pippin, "I think he'd better... Can you tell? Look... he isn't as pale, see?"  
  
Pippin indeed looked a lot better. His breathing wasn't as hard as it looked the other day and there was more color in his face. Merry desperately wanted to shake his cousin awake and ask him how he felt, but there was no need for soon Pippin's eyes fluttered open.  
  
Those familiar green eyes were back, "Merry?" he said softly.  
  
"Yes?" Merry was on his toes, ready to perform any trick Pippin asked for.  
  
"Can I hear the alphabet again?"  
  
"Of course! A... B... C... D... E... F... G... H... I... J... K... L... M... N... O... P... Q... R... S... T... U... V... W... X... Y... and..."  
  
"....Z."  
  
"That's right!"  
  
"Thank you," he closed his eyes and fell asleep again.  
  
Merry frowned. He didn't want Pippin to fall asleep.  
  
Pippin coughed a little and turned over on one side. And Merry saw something he hadn't seen in what seemed like ages... a smile. 


	8. Separated and Lost

Like Brothers  
  
Chapter 8  
  
Separated and Lost  
  
"Breakfast!" said Eglantine Took as she set a plate of eggs, sausage, toast with raspberry jam, and a tall glass of fresh milk in front of her son and nephew.  
  
Pippin looked down at the food in front of him, but it took him only half a second to tear into the food hungrily. Merry too was very hungry he had not eaten since Pippin last ate and he was glad to see his cousin had his appetite back once more.  
  
The hobbit ate every spec of food on his plate and drank every drop of milk in, "Can I have a second serving?" he asked his mother as she collected his plate.  
  
Eglantine nodded happily and left to get more food. Pippin looked at Merry's plate which was still half full, "Are you going to eat your toast, Merry?"  
  
Merry smiled and handed him the piece, "I can see you're feeling better," said Merry.  
  
Pippin nodded; he was too busy eating to talk.  
  
"Here you are," said Eglantine as she set another plate of food in front of Pippin.  
  
Before Pippin finished his meal, the healer came. Merry could see that his cousin was a little upset that the healer interrupted his eating. The healer talked to Eglantine outside the room. Merry wondered what they were talking about, "What do you suppose they're saying?" he asked.  
  
Pippin shrugged. He said something, but it was not understandable with all the food in his mouth. He swallowed, "Can we learn sentences today, Merry?"  
  
"No, no, no," said Pippin's mother as she reentered the room, "You need to rest all of today. The healer says you're better, but it isn't a good idea get out of bed just yet."  
  
"Please, Mother..."  
  
"Yes, Please Auntie!"  
  
Eglantine shook her head, "No. Pippin, you need plenty of rest. We leave tomorrow."  
  
"Tomorrow? But, Mother... I don't want to leave!"  
  
"Come! Come! Eat! After you're done, you will take a bath, and go to sleep," his mother said.  
  
Pippin looked to Merry for help.  
  
"I can't do anything, Pippin," he whispered back.  
  
Pippin frowned.  
  
"O... cheer up..." he whispered, "Don't worry... I'll think of something..."  
  
Though Pippin protested much, after he took his bath he was forced to go to bed. Merry was disappointed as well. As soon as he had seen that smile on Pippin's face he had been planning out the lesson plan for an entire week . Now the Tooks were leaving and Merry didn't want them to go.  
  
Pippin slept most of the day, only awakening to eat. The hobbit had lost some weight during his illness, but it wouldn't be too hard for him to gain it back at the rate he was eating. When he ate he asked from two to three servings, and when he would finish the lad would whine, "Please, please, please, please, please, please...." just to be able to stay up, but Merry could tell that he did indeed need to restore his energy, for it would take just a few minutes for him to fall asleep.  
  
"Please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, PLEASE!" he begged after he finished dinner.  
  
"NO," his mother answered for the hundredth time.  
  
Pippin looked very upset. When Eglantine left, Merry closed the door behind her.  
  
"What are you doing, Merry?" Pippin asked curiously.  
  
Merry took out a folded up piece of parchment from his vest pocket, "You wrote this didn't you?" he handed Pippin the piece of parchment that he found under the mattress.  
  
Pippin nodded.  
  
Merry took the parchment, and with a quill he wrote:  
  
'Merry and Pippin are friends.'  
  
He handed it back to Pippin, "Can you read that?"  
  
"Sure I can! .... just wait for a while..." he paused, looking the writing over carefully, "Merry and Pippin are friends," he read perfectly.  
  
"That is a sentence."  
  
Pippin stared at the writing again, "Can I try?"  
  
Merry nodded and handed him the quill. Pippin reached out to retrieve the quill, but stopped short. "What?" asked Merry.  
  
"Mother wants me to go to bed.... I'm not supposed to..."  
  
"But, Pippin... we won't be able to practice for who knows how long! You're leaving tomorrow!" This was an odd moment; Merry wanted to spend time with Pippin and Pippin was the one with second thoughts. It surprised even Merry.  
  
Pippin paused, "Yes... I suppose so... Alright!" he took the quill and began to practice writing sentences. Merry explained to him about capitals at the beginning of sentences, and of periods, exclamations, and more. Time went by fast and it was three hours later when Merry realized the time.  
  
"Whoa, Pippin, you need to get to bed."  
  
"But, Merry!" whined Pippin.  
  
"No, Pippin."  
  
"Please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, PLEASE!"  
  
"No."  
  
Pippin reluctantly crawled under the sheets of the bed and laid down, "Good night, Merry."  
  
"Good night."  
  
**  
  
Merry forgot how much sleep he had lost during the past four days, and he slept late into the next morning. When he awoke he found that Pippin was not in bed. He sleepily dragged himself down the hall and into the kitchen, where he found his mama cooking. She turned and smiled at Merry, "It's about time you woke up! Are you ready for lunch?"  
  
"Lunch?"  
  
She nodded.  
  
"Where's Pippin?"  
  
"Sweetie, they left."  
  
"What?"  
  
"They left."  
  
"When?"  
  
"Nearly two hours ago."  
  
"Mama, why didn't you wake me?"  
  
"I didn't want to. You looked so tired!"  
  
Merry sighed. He was usually content just being alone in Brandy Hall; he was very independent being an only child, and enjoyed time by himself.  
  
"Mama?"  
  
"Yes, Merry?"  
  
"When exactly will we see the Tooks again?"  
  
"Well, exactly? I don't know."  
  
"O..." Merry paused, "Mama?"  
  
"Yes, Merry?"  
  
"Will it be like a week or--"  
  
"Merry, I don't know," she sighed, "Go play outside."  
  
Merry went outside and sat down on the front steps. He sat there for a long time, not doing anything. There was nothing to do. Finally he stood and walked down the yard; he reached the stables and decided to pay a visit to his favorite pony, Strawberry.  
  
"Hullo," he greeted the pony and he brushed her nose tenderly with his finger. Then he got an idea. He could ride to the Great Smials where Pippin lived. Strawberry knew the way. She would always accompany Merry's family there .  
  
Merry readied the pony. He rode the pony out of the stables and to the main road, he stopped. He looked down the south road and down the north, "Which one is it?" He leaned over to the pony's ear, "Strawberry? You have to take me to see Pippin, alright? I don't remember the way exactly, but you do."  
  
The pony turned south and began to trot down the road at a steady pace.  
  
Merry sighed, "I hope you're right about this girl." He looked behind him and watched Brandy Hall slowly disappear.   
  
Strawberry continued down the road for some forty minutes, then turned east. Merry looked around; things started to look familiar and he knew they were going in the correct direction. Some ten minutes later Merry heard his stomach growl. It was time for afternoon tea and he was hungry. He saw that there were some wild berries growing on the road and stopped, "Strawberry, let's get something to eat." he said and he lead the pony off the road to the brush, but before they reached the berries, Strawberry began to act strangely. She cried and veered away, and Merry felt it hard to keep control, "What's the matter?"  
  
There was something in the brush. It jumped out... a snake. Merry yelped as the pony sped away, through the wilderness, and Merry desperately held on as hard as he could, "Stop!" he screamed, "Stop, Strawberry! Stop! STOP!" Finally Merry flew off, besides from scraping an elbow, he was fine. He watched Strawberry run away, "Come back!" he shouted, "Come back!"  
  
The horse kept going.  
  
Merry desperately looked around. Which way did they come from? Where was the road? He took a step towards what he thought was north, then stepped back. He wheeled around, "No, no, no, no, no..." he said softly. He began to run through the thick brush, "No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no!" he said, his voice growing louder and louder. He ran faster, "Where's the road?!" he screamed, "Where's the road?!" He halted and stared at the threatening wilderness, then collapsed on to his knees, "I-I-I'm lost..." he said, "I'm lost!" he buried his face in his hands, "I'm lost," he sobbed, "No, no, no, no... I'm lost..." 


	9. The News Spreads

Like Brothers  
  
Chapter 9  
  
The News Spreads  
  
Pippin lay gloomily on his bed, staring up at the ceiling, "A... B... C... D... E... F... G... H... I... J... K... L... M... N... O... P... Q... R... S... T... U... V... W... X... Y... and... Z," he sighed, "I'm bored." He sat up and walked down the hall to his sister Pervinca's room.  
  
His sister sat at a desk drawing. Pippin stood on his tip toes peering at her art work. Pippin never really liked Pervinca's drawings. In his opinion they weren't very good. He always found her artwork to be... well... not art. He tilted his head to one side, studying the piece she worked on now, "What are you drawing?"  
  
"A cat."  
  
Pippin smiled and held in his laughter. It looked nothing like a cat, "Pervinca?"  
  
"Yes, Pippy?"  
  
"Can you help me with my spelling?"  
  
"No. I'm busy."  
  
"No you're not."  
  
"Pippin, I'm working."  
  
"Please, please, please, please, please, please, PLEASE!"  
  
"NO."  
  
Pippin stomped his foot, "Merry would've helped me!"  
  
"What's wrong?" asked Pimpernel who just walked into the room.  
  
Pippin ran over to her, "Can you help me practice my spelling?"  
  
Pimpernel shook her head, "Sorry, Pippin I have to go help Mother with laundry."  
  
"Please, please, please, please, please, please, please, PLEASE!"  
  
"Sorry. I can't," she sighed, "Go play outside."  
  
"What am I supposed to do by myself?"  
  
Pimpernel didn't answer. She just walked away.  
  
Pippin turned to Pervinca, "PLEASE!"  
  
"No. I'm busy, Pippin."  
  
Pippin stomped his foot again. He turned and left the room, slamming the door behind him. He began to walk back to his room, but he stopped. He heard voices down the hall... It was his aunt Esmeralda and uncle Saradoc, "Merry's here!" squealed Pippin. He ran down the hall singing, "Merry! Merry! Merry!"  
  
He stopped when he saw only his aunt and uncle, both looking very upset. His uncle wore a worried expression and his aunt was in tears, while Pippin's mother tried to comfort her, "Now, now... I'm sure he's alright..."  
  
"Where's Merry?" asked Pippin, "Aunt Esmeralda, where's Merry?"  
  
Pippin regretted the question, for his aunt began to cry even more. Pippin turned to his father and uncle who were in a deep conversation.  
  
"I found Strawberry just outside the smial... She looked like she had quite a scare..."  
  
"Do you think Merry took her out?"  
  
"Uncle Saradoc, where's Merry?"  
  
"It couldn't have been anyone else," Saradoc paused, "So, he isn't here?"  
  
"Who's not here? Merry?" questioned Pippin.  
  
"I'm afraid he isn't."  
  
"Uncle where's Merry?"  
  
"What do you supposed happen?" asked Pippin's father.  
  
"Not sure. Perhaps just a ride for some fresh air..."  
  
"What has happened to Merry?!"  
  
"How long has he been missing?"  
  
"Since lunch... Esmeralda went to call him to eat, and we couldn't find him... went crazy, searching all over the Hall for him..."  
  
"So it's been... five or six hours?"  
  
"What's happened to Merry?!" he tugged on his father's shirt.  
  
Paladin looked at him, "Go play, Pippin."  
  
"But... I want to know what's happening!"  
  
"Come here, Pippy," said Pearl and she took him by the hand.  
  
"But, Pearl! I want to know what's--"  
  
"Shhhh... I'll explain everything."  
  
Pearl led Pippin into the dinning room and sat down with him at the table. The serious look on his face told Pippin that there was bad news... and it was about his beloved cousin... his best friend.  
  
Pippin frowned, "Pearl? Pearl, what's happening? Has something happened to Merry? Is he all right? Pearl, where's Merry? Pearl, what has--"  
  
"Pippin... calm down, let me explain. Now I don't know too much, but what I've come to understand is that Merry's missing. They don't know where he is."  
  
"Maybe he's playing hide and seek."  
  
"No, Pippy. He's not playing hide and seek."  
  
"Where did he go?"  
  
"They don't know. His mother and father can't find him."  
  
"Is he OK?"  
  
"They don't know. That's why Aunt Esmeralda is so upset. Did you see her crying?"  
  
Pippin nodded, "She's really sad..."  
  
"She is. She doesn't know what's happened to Merry, and she's scared."  
  
"But... but Merry has to be all right. Pearl, Merry isn't hurt or anything... right? He's big and strong and... he's fine, Pearl... isn't he?"  
  
"I hope so."  
  
Pippin stood, "Let's go and look for him."  
  
Pearl shook her head, "No, Pippy... it's not like that."  
  
Pippin sat down again. He and his sister were silent as they each reflected on their own thoughts. "Pearl?"  
  
"Yes, Pippin?"  
  
"Who's going to look for him? Someone has to... If he's missing, we have to find him. Pearl, someone has to look for him."  
  
Pearl nodded, "They'll be constructing a search party."  
  
"When?"  
  
"As soon as Bilbo and Odovacar Bolger come... they'll be a part of the party."  
  
"Can I be a part of the party, too?"  
  
"I don't think so, Pippin," she paused, "Pippin, how about you help me with dinner? I can see mother will have her hands full tonight."  
  
Pippin nodded, "Alright."  
  
Pearl smiled, "Go wash your hands."  
  
**  
  
Merry sat on the ground, he was too afraid to move, for fear he would walk in the wrong direction, and deeper into the untamed forest. What if the way he ran was the wrong way? Why had he panicked like that? Such a foolish act might've doomed him.  
  
"What am I to do?" he asked himself, "If I move... how do I know if I'm going the right way? If I stay... will someone ever find me? Do... do they even know I'm gone?" he looked up, "It's getting a little dark..." He looked around. There were trees, trees, and more trees. It was impossible to see anything further than a few yards, and it would grow worse when night came.  
  
Merry wanted to cry, but he tried hard not to, "You've spent enough time crying, Meriadoc," he lectured himself. He stood, "I can't stay here forever... If I walk in just one direction, then I'll be sure to reach a road sometime... right?" He paused almost as if he expected someone to answer. He took a step forward, then stepped back, "But... but how do I know I'll be walking in one direction? What if I walk in circles?" He sat down again, "I'll wait here tonight... then tomorrow... tomorrow I'll try to find my way out."  
  
He looked around nervously, "O, please, somebody find me..." he whispered softly. He took off his vest and laid it down, resting his head on it. He lay there staring up at the sky, watching to sun slowly disappear. He closed his eyes, and fell asleep. 


	10. Found

Like Brothers  
  
Chapter 10  
  
Found  
  
Pippin awoke in the middle of the night. He heard hushed voices from the hall. He quietly crept to the source and saw that Odocavar, Uncle Bilbo, and his cousin Frodo had arrived. Bilbo, Saradoc, Odocavar, and Pippin's father stood talking in a circle; Frodo stood outside it listening inventively. He turned and caught a glimpse of Pippin peeking around the corner, then quickly disappearing. Frodo approached him, "Pippin, what're you doing awake at this hour?"  
  
The young Took didn't answer. Frodo smiled lovingly, took his small hand, and walked with him down the hall, and into his room, "Frodo? Are you going to be a part of the search party?"  
  
Frodo shook his head, "I want to, but they won't allow it."  
  
"Me too," frowned Pippin.  
  
Frodo picked his tiny cousin up, and sat him on his bed, "Get to bed," said Frodo and he turned to leave.  
  
"Frodo?"  
  
Frodo turned around, "Yes, Pippin?"  
  
Pippin looked at Frodo, then looked at his hands turning them over and over again.  
  
"What is it, Pippin?"  
  
Pippin looked up, "Well... it's just that Merry's my friend. He's my best friend. He's my cousin... why can't I help? Frodo, why can't I help? I want to, and they won't let me. An' I ask why and they don't answer. Why can't I help? He's my friend... Frodo, he's your friend, too, isn't he?"  
  
Frodo went back to Pippin and sat down next to him on his bed, "Of course."  
  
"And he's your cousin, too. Why can't you help?"  
  
Frodo shrugged, " I suppose it's too dangerous."  
  
"Why?" asked Pippin. "We just have to look for him. What's so dangerous about that?" he stood on his bed, "We can just walk outside and call, 'Merry!'. We just shout, 'Merry, where are you?!' and if he's not there, we keep looking."  
  
Frodo chuckled lightly, "Pippin--"  
  
"Please, Frodo, please can we go look for him? You're old! You're like... one hundred!"  
  
"Er... a little younger, Pippin," Frodo laughed.  
  
"How old?"  
  
"I'll be twenty seven this autumn--"  
  
"You're old enough!" Pippin grabbed Frodo by the hand, "Let's go! Come on, Frodo!"  
  
Frodo looked into the young hobbit's pleading green eyes; he shook his head, "Sorry, Pippin, but we can't..."  
  
"Please, please, please, please, PLEASE!"  
  
Frodo shook his head, "No, no..."  
  
"Please! Merry needs us, Frodo! We're his friends! Please!"  
  
Frodo sighed, "... alright... but when we get out there, be sure and stay close to me."  
  
Frodo and Pippin quietly slipped down the hall. They crept past the search party, further down the hall to a closet, where Frodo took out a lantern, and the two cousin stepped outside.  
  
It was dark, besides from the light of the full moon, there was no way to see the nose on your face. It was quiet and that was heard in the still night was the small chirping of crickets and hoots of night birds. Pippin had never been out so late before in his short life; he guessed it was midnight or perhaps one.  
  
Frodo and Pippin walked down to the main road and stopped.  
  
"Which way, Frodo?"  
  
Frodo thought for a while, "Brandy Hall is down the east road. Let's go there."  
  
They turned east and walked for some fifty yards. Pippin began to shout, "Merry?! Merry, where are you?!"  
  
Frodo hushed him, "I don't think he's this near by. We have to go into the forest," he signaled at the wilderness that began at the side of the road.  
  
"We have to go in there?" squeaked Pippin.  
  
Frodo nodded, "If he's lost, he's not on the road, Pippin."  
  
Pippin nodded agreeingly.  
  
Frodo lit the lantern and handed it to Pippin, "Here, you hold on to this."  
  
The two hobbits walked through the thick brush and into the dark wilderness. Pippin kept close to Frodo, grasping his hand tightly to be sure not to lose him. They walked for some ten minutes headed north.  
  
"Merry?" Pippin would say softly every now and then, "Merry, where are you?"  
  
Another twenty minutes passed and Pippin was starting to regret his choice to come out here. He looked up at the sky; it was dark and frightening. Black clouds hung in the sky and slowly moved, soon eclipsing the moon. Pippin thought about the possibility of rain... of thunder... he shuddered, and tried to shake the thought from his head.  
  
Suddenly Frodo stopped, and it was so abrupt, Pippin bumped into him, "What is it?" whispered Pippin. He inched closer to his cousin, preparing himself for the worst.  
  
Frodo took the lantern from Pippin. He held the light close to the ground, "These have to be Strawberry's tracks," he looked at Pippin who breathed a sigh of relief.  
  
"I... I thought you saw a monster or something..."  
  
Frodo smiled.  
  
Pippin knelt down on the ground next to Frodo, "Are we close?" Pippin asked Frodo. He looked around expecting Merry to appear in front of him, "Merry?! MERRY?!" he shouted.  
  
Frodo stood and started to follow the pony's tracks. They walked some twenty yards and Pippin continued to shout his cousin's name.  
  
"They stop here."  
  
Frodo studied them for a long time and Pippin watched curiously. Frodo's brow wrinkled with concentration and Pippin thought the look was a little funny.  
  
"What're you smiling about?" asked Frodo.  
  
Pippin shook his head clenching his teeth, grinning, "Nothing."  
  
Frodo returned his attention back to the ground. "The pony ran here... stopped.. and I bet you anything Merry fell off... see this mark here? That's where he landed. And these hear, that where the pony ran off after..."  
  
"Do you think he's close by, Frodo?"  
  
"Maybe... come on, Pippin."  
  
Frodo walked quickly and his one step took Pippin three, "Frodo! Slow down!"  
  
**  
  
Merry awoke; he thought he heard something. The hobbit sat up and looked around. It was very dark and he strained his eyes, but was unable to see anything. He heard a crack as something move in the brush. Something was out there... but what? Merry panicked and slowly began to back away from the unseen creature or creatures. He bumped into a tree and slid down against the trunk, his eyes staring at the mysterious, black night. Whatever it was he did not want to witness what it was and what it might do to him. He closed his eyes tightly and clasped his hands over his ears, 'It's a monster,' he thought, 'No, a bear... something big... something big and it's going to eat me! O, no! I'm going to die!' Merry began to cry as more thoughts rushed through his head all at once, 'I'm going to die! O, no, no, no! I'm never going to see Pippin or my mama, or Papa, or--"  
  
He felt something shake him and he screamed, "O, please! Please! Leave me alone! Please, don't eat me! Noooooo!"  
  
"Merry, Merry, it's alright! Open your eyes, Mer, it's me!"  
  
Merry reluctantly opened his eyes, "Frodo!"  
  
"Merry! Merry! Are you OK?!" Pippin rushed over to his cousin, occasionally stumbling and tripping as he did so. He jumped into his cousin's arms and embraced him tightly, "Merry, you're alright! I told then that you were big, an' strong, an' that nothing can hurt you!"  
  
"Are you alright?" asked Frodo as he helped Merry to his feet.  
  
"Yes... I'm fine," he said wiping the tears from his eyes.  
  
Pippin tugged on Merry's sleeve, "You're mother's crying, Merry. She's really sad..."  
  
Merry frowned, "Is she?"  
  
"You gave everyone quite a scare, Merry," said Frodo.  
  
"I...I didn't mean to..."  
  
"Of course you didn't," Frodo said shaking his head.  
  
"Over here! I heard something!" shouted a voice.  
  
Merry looked to where the voice came, "Papa?" Merry ran over to the source, with his cousins following.  
  
Saradoc spotted his son, and there was a instant were they stared at each other in disbelief. Each thought just moments ago that they might've never seen each other again.  
  
"Meriadoc! Where have you been?" exclaimed Saradoc.  
  
Merry ran and hugged his papa, "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to! I'm sorry! I really am!" he was in tears again.  
  
Pippin's Father soon stepped out from the trees, "Peregrin, what are you doing out here?"  
  
"Father! We found him! We found Merry!"  
  
"Come one, let's get back," said Saradoc. He picked his son up in his arms and carried him out of the scary wilderness. 


	11. The History of Hide and Seek

Like Brothers  
  
Chapter 11  
  
The History of Hide and Seek  
  
"My Merry! O, my son!" exclaimed Esmeralda. She rushed over to her husband who held Merry in his arms; she took him from him and held him in her arms, crying for joy and relief, "O, where have you been?!"  
  
"Mama!" wailed Merry as he embraced her tightly, "I'm sorry!"  
  
"Shh, shhh... it's alright..."  
  
Eglantine too held her son, Pippin, close to her, "What were you doing out there, Pippin?"  
  
"Me and Frodo found Merry, Mother! We found him!"  
  
Eglantine sighed, "Let's get to bed."  
  
**  
  
Merry and Pippin found the night to be a very restless one. And though the two were very exhausted from the night's events, they found that sleep was unreachable. Because of the limited amount of rooms, Merry and Pippin shared, and of course the two didn't mind, but they found it a bit odd to be in the same bed and be expected to sleep rather then talk or play, when they had missed each other so much.  
  
"Merry?" Pippin whispered after some several minutes of silence.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Was it scary out there?"  
  
"..... yes."  
  
They were quiet again.  
  
"Merry?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Can we practice reading and writing tomorrow? Can we make more sentences?"  
  
"I hope we can," Merry answered honestly. He sighed, "But I think my mama and papa plan to leave tomorrow..."  
  
"At what time?"  
  
"I don't know."  
  
"O...."  
  
Suddenly as if some powerful force had heard them. Merry and Pippin began to hear the light patter of rain drops.  
  
"Merry... it's raining."  
  
"I know."  
  
"Merry, if it rains tomorrow, then you and your family have to stay. You have to..."  
  
"I know," Merry half grinned.  
  
"Then we can practice sentences some more!" Pippin squealed softly.  
  
Merry nodded, ".... I hope it rains for the whole week."  
  
"Me too!"  
  
They were quiet again as they listened to the rain, that neither of them had ever been so thankful for then now.   
  
"Merry?" Pippin said in a more concerned tone.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"Do you think there will be thunder?"  
  
"I don't know... perhaps..."  
  
Merry noticed Pippin squirmed uneasily.  
  
"It's alright, Pip.... I'm right here... the thunder won't hurt you."  
  
Silence again. Finally Merry felt sleep over taking him, but just as he drifted into unconsciousness, he felt Pippin throw his arms around him and grasp him strongly. Merry almost couldn't breathe, "What's wrong?" he managed to say.  
  
"Did you hear it? ..... the thunder...."  
  
"O, Pippin... it's OK.... you're inside," Merry said turning over in bed and facing his young cousin.  
  
The thunder boomed again and Pippin quietly moaned with fear.  
  
Merry collected Pippin in his arms, "It's alright," he soothed, "Just... just think about tomorrow... tomorrow we can practice sentences.... won't that be wonderful?"  
  
Pippin nodded; he sniffed, "It's just... I don't like the thunder..."  
  
"I know.... but don't you worry any, because I'm here and I won't let the thunder get you."  
  
Pippin smiled weakly, "OK..."  
  
Merry smiled and turned over again. He closed his eyes to sleep, but Pippin crawled over him and sat up staring at him.  
  
"What is it now, Pippin?" he said with only one eye open.  
  
"How can you protect me from the thunder, when you're asleep, Merry?"  
  
"I don't know... I just will..."  
  
Pippin frowned. He wasn't convinced.  
  
Merry sighed and sat up, "OK. Go to bed, and I'll make sure the thunder doesn't get you..."  
  
Pippin slid under the sheets. He closed his eyes, and Merry waited several minutes for the little Took to fall asleep. After, he slipped under the sheets and closed his eyes.  
  
"Merry... I'm not asleep yet," Pippin said softly.  
  
Merry sighed and sat up again, "Hurry up and get to bed, Pippin!"  
  
Pippin smiled, "I'm trying," he giggled.  
  
Merry shook his head. If the lad wasn't so damn cute, he'd strangle him right now, "Stop giggling and go to sleep!" he chuckled.  
  
About ten or fifteen minutes later, Pippin finally fell asleep. Merry went to bed, and when he awoke some five hours later he heard the rain continued to pour. He grinned. Yes! He would get to stay. He sat up and saw that Pippin slept peacefully. Merry got out of bed and stretched a little.  
  
The door creaked and Frodo peeked in, "I was wondering of you two were awake yet," he said to Merry. He looked at the sleeping Pippin, "I was told he just conquered the pneumonia..." he said quietly walking into the room.  
  
Merry nodded.  
  
Frodo looked at his cousin, "You're awfully nice to him... Just a month ago when I last visited you, you were complaining about what an annoying lad he was... Why the sudden change?"  
  
Merry stared for a while at Frodo, "When did I say that?"  
  
"About a month ago... remember?"  
  
"Did I really?" Merry said. He found it hard to believe that he ever disliked such a cheerful and adorable thing. Then he realized that he had said that. He remembered it clearly. He had sent Pippin off to go and search for the salt shaker that was missing; the thing that nobody knew was that Merry slipped the salt shaker into his pants pocket. After he got rid of Pippin he turned to his cousin Frodo, who he considered to be his very best friend and told him, "That annoying lad just won't stop bugging me! Honestly, Frodo, I'm running out of ways to rid of him!"  
  
Merry swallowed, "I guess... I never gave the hobbit a chance... not till last week..."  
  
Frodo smiled, "Well, do you see on what you could've missed out on?"  
  
Merry nodded, "Aye... I see," he paused, "Frodo?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Remember when I was about five.... and we were at Bag End... and we played hide and seek... you never actually looked for me, did you?"  
  
Frodo gaped at Merry.  
  
"... you tricked me...."  
  
"Er... Mer, that was a long time ago!"  
  
Merry smiled, "I can't believe you did that," he laughed, "I thought you liked me! We were friends! And you sent me off to hide, and left me! It was like... two hours before Bilbo found me! Frodo, how could you!?"  
  
Frodo smiled weakly, "Well, you got tiresome at times and well... aye, I tricked you..."  
  
Merry grinned, "And I felled for it... Frodo, that's the last time you'll slip by me!" 


	12. Birthday Party and Kisses

Like Brothers  
  
Chapter 12  
  
Birthday Party and Kisses  
  
Breakfast was served for the twelve hobbits that would stay at the Great Smials until the rain ceased; which would be pouring for days, according to Bilbo. At this, Merry and Pippin grinned at each other from across the table. Merry sat in between his parents. His mama would not stop fussing over him, and Merry blushed with slight embarrassment as she kissed him over and over again. After his papa had overcame his worries, he constantly told Merry, "Don't you ever do that again." And Merry heard similar words across the table from his uncle Paladin, directed to Pippin.  
  
During breakfast, Merry noticed that Pippin's enormous appetite was still evident, as he asked for three servings of scrambled eggs. When he had asked for a fourth, his mother refused to give it to him, but Bilbo secretly scooped his own onto Pippin's plate. Pippin grinned at him, and Bilbo winked back, then placed his finger to his sealed tight lips, signaling for Pippin to keep quiet. Pippin clenched his teeth and giggled to himself.  
  
Many conversations took place, but what was mainly discussed was Pippin's new found academic talent. Paladin proudly stated, "Someday, my lad will write a book," And every hobbit at the table nodded and talked with their neighbor, agreeing greatly on this.  
  
"He has a very strong talent, indeed."  
  
"It's so obvious that the lad is gifted!"  
  
"Sentences already, just imagine... and at the age of just six..."  
  
"He's my brother, you know. This sort of talent is just genetic."  
  
"The adorable scamp... is there anything he can't do?"  
  
Saradoc also brought up the fact that it was his son who taught Pippin.  
  
"He's done such a wonderful job."  
  
"The lad must have a lot of patience, to teach a six year old those things..."  
  
"Meriadoc is obviously gifted as well."  
  
"He's my cousin, you know. This sort of talent is just genetic."  
  
Another conversation that took place at the table was of Odovacar's daughter. It was her birthday this weekend and there was to be a birthday party, and everyone was invited. Merry was happy that he would get to see his good friend, Fredgar, or Fatty as he was more commonly known, for Merry hadn't seen him in months.  
  
"Will there be cake?" Pippin asked excitedly.  
  
Odovacar nodded and Pippin squealed with joy.  
  
After breakfast, Merry and Pippin rushed to the Thain's office and collected everything they would need for their studies for the day. They ran down the hall, racing each other, to Pippin's room.  
  
The two lay on the floor writing and constructing many words and sentences. Merry found that he was hardly needed, for all he would have to do was say a sentence, and Pippin wrote it out perfectly; he occasionally had a spelling error, but other than that, Pippin was doing very well. About an hour and a half into their studies, Frodo came and observed their work. He was very much impressed with his cousins, but he must've added one comment too many, for they kicked him out. Pippin claiming him to be too loud and disruptive, "We're doing very important work, Frodo Baggins. And if you can't keep quiet, then you get out!"  
  
After they got rid of Frodo, they continued with their work for another two hours. They only stopped because of Pippin's rumbling stomach. But after Pippin consumed half a watermelon, they began their studies again, only stopping to eat. And so it was for three rainy days.  
  
When Merry and Pippin were forced to separate, their parents had to constantly remind the two that they would see each other in just two more days.  
  
"The longest two days of my life," Merry had told his mama as he and his family went to the Bolger's home to attend little Estella's birthday party. When they arrived, they found that music and dancing already too place.  
  
"Has Pippin arrived?" Merry asked Frodo.  
  
Frodo shook his head, "Not yet."  
  
Merry frowned, "I'd wish he'd hurry up and get here..."  
  
"O, come on, Merry!" Frodo said trying to cheer him up a little, "It's a party! Why don't you go and say hullo to Estella, the birthday girl?"  
  
Frodo pointed at Fatty's sister, but Merry paid no attention to it. He didn't care much about the lass, and from what he heard from her brother, she was quite evil. Merry told Frodo this and Frodo laughed, "Mer, she's not evil!"  
  
"How do you know?"  
  
"Well... she's just a lass.... there's nothing threatening about her!"  
  
Merry ignored this; he saw his uncle Paladin and aunt Eglantine arrive with Pearl, Pimpernel, Pervinca and Pippin. Pippin immediately spotted Merry and he began to run over to him, but Pimpernel stopped him. She shook a finger at him and said something, but Merry was unable to hear whatever it was. The Tooks went to Estella and gave her their gift. Each took turns giving her a friendly hug, but Pippin did it very reluctantly and made a face afterwards; thoroughly expressing that he did not enjoy it. He turned to Merry and began to approach him, but Pearl stopped him. She shoved her brother towards Estella. Pippin reached into his pant pocket and retrieved an envelope and handed it to Estella. She smiled at hi, and kissed him on the forehead, and Pippin gagged. Finally he was free and he ran over to Merry.  
  
"She kissed me!" he exclaimed, disgusted with himself.  
  
Merry laughed at him, "What was in the envelope?" he asked.  
  
"A birthday card. I wrote it all by myself," he said proudly. He paused recalling what he wrote, "It said: 'Dear Estella. It is your birthday. I hope it is good. Happy Birthday. Love, Pippin.'" he said, "Er, my sisters made me put 'love'!" he added quickly.  
  
Merry smiled, "Come on, let's go see where Frodo and Fatty have gone..."  
  
Frodo, Fatty, Merry, and Pippin started a fun game of horse shoes. Pippin found that it was too hard to throw the heavy objects and so he was appointed the job as the judge. Frodo and Fatty later regretted giving the lad such a responsibility, for he always ruled in Merry's favor, even when it clearly shouldn't have been.  
  
About halfway into the game, when Merry was nearly fifty points ahead, Estella came accompanied with Pearl, Pimpernel, and Pervinca. The girls watched the boys play, and then started to complain to them that they weren't paying enough attention to the birthday girl. None of the lads could care less, and they ignored the lasses and continued on with their game. But the lasses grew persistent and when the boys refused to dance with them, the girls complained to Esmeralda Brandybuck, who told all the boys that they weren't being gentlemen.  
  
Defeated, the boys were forced to dance with them. Frodo with Pearl, Fatty with Pimpernel, Merry with Pervinca, and Estella had insisted of dancing with the adorable Pippin Took. In fact, there was a fight amongst the girls on who would get to be the dance partner of the cute hobbit. "It's my birthday! It's my choice!" said Estella.  
  
Frankly, Frodo, Fatty, and Merry were relieved that they didn't have to dance with Estella. Fatty said it would be deathly embarrassing to be seen dancing with his little sister. And Frodo and Merry feared the kiss that Estella had given Pippin earlier. Sure enough, as soon as their dancing was done, Estella gave Pippin a small peck on the cheek.  
  
"Tortured at such a young age..." said Fatty, "The poor lad..."  
  
The boys resumed their game of horseshoes, but only after they took Pippin inside the smial and scrubbed his face clean with soap and water, preventing any chance that his skin might break out in some horrible rash.  
  
"I don't like dancing..." frowned Pippin as he rubbed the spot where the kiss was planted, half expecting to feel a bump.  
  
"Neither do I," Merry agreed.  
  
"It was kind of fun," said Frodo. The other lads stared at him and Frodo blushed, "But, er, for the most part it was terrible," he added."  
  
"Pippin!" called Pearl, "We're leaving now!"  
  
"Already?"  
  
His sister nodded. Pippin said his farewells and reluctantly followed his sister. Pearl turned to Merry, "Mother and Father said you could come too. Perhaps, spend the rest of the weekend with us..."  
  
Merry grinned, "Really?"  
  
"Really?!" Pippin jumped up and down.  
  
Pearl nodded, "After all, Pippin needs to keep up his studies."  
  
Merry beamed and followed Pearl and Pippin to where his aunt and uncle, and mama and papa stood. There, Merry kissed his mama good bye and hugged his father after receiving a long lecture about behaving himself and being a good guest. The Tooks and Merry went to say their farewells to Estella.  
  
"Good bye, Estella," Merry and Pippin said at once rather glumly.  
  
Estella giggled childishly and gave each of them a kiss on the cheek. Merry and Pippin looked at each other horrified, and ran to the nearest sink. 


	13. Responsibility

Like Brothers  
  
Chapter 13  
  
Responsibility  
  
Though there were plenty of beds available for Merry, he and Pippin insisted of sharing a room. That night before they went to bed, they washed their faces a dozen times. "Three times, Merry!" Pippin exclaimed, "She kissed me three times!" he spoke in a manner that perhaps any minute now he would drop dead.  
  
Merry handed his cousin a towel to dry his face, "Yes, but I got this funny jump in my stomach when she did it to me... I think I'm allergic to her or something..."  
  
Pippin gasped, "Maybe we should have my mother and father fetch the healer!"  
  
Merry shook his head, "It's alright. I feel fine now."  
  
"Don't die on me, Merry Brandybuck!" Pippin shook a finger at him.  
  
The two went to Pippin's room and laid in bed. Each secretly praying that they would wake up in the morning. When they did, they checked each others' faces for any rashes or infections. After they were sure a speck on Merry's face was just a freckle, they headed to the Thain's office to collect some supplies for their writing. As they walked down the hall, they passed by Pippin's parents' bedroom. They stopped and pressed their ears against the closed door, "Do you hear crying, Merry?" whispered Pippin.  
  
Merry nodded, "....It's your mother.... why is she crying, Pip?"  
  
"... I ... I don't know..."  
  
Pippin turned the door knob, a carefully swung the door open, "Mother?"  
  
Eglantine sat on her bed; she looked up and wiped a tear from her eye, "O, good morning, boys."  
  
Merry and Pippin approached her, "Why were you crying, Auntie?" Merry asked in a worried tone.  
  
She shook her head, "Nothing, Dears."  
  
Merry and Pippin stared at her, and she knew that they were not satisfied.  
  
She sighed, "Well if you must know..." she paused and turned to her son, "Pippin, sweetie, what if I told you that you were going to have a little brother or sister?"  
  
Pippin gaped at her.  
  
"You're going to have a baby? But... isn't that a good thing, Auntie? Why were you crying?"  
  
Eglantine laughed, "O, it wasn't that I was sad! I was crying out of joy!"  
  
Pippin grinned; he finally understood, "I... I'm going to have a little brother! Or, or a little sister! O, but I hope it's a lad! Merry! Did you hear? I'm going to be a big brother! Merry! That makes you... like... a grandpa?"  
  
Merry and Eglantine laughed.  
  
Pippin tugged on Merry's arm, "Merry!" he gasped, "We have to be sure and keep my little brother away from that Estella!"  
  
Merry nodded and agreement, and the two dashed out of the room to go and boast to Pearl that they knew something she didn't know.  
  
Everyone was in a happy mood. Merry and Pippin even found it hard to study with all the excitement. And when Merry's parents came to take him home, Merry didn't want to leave, "But, Mama, Auntie's going to have another child! I can't miss it!"  
  
Esmeralda explained to her son that babies took a long time to come, but Merry still didn't want to leave for fear he would miss the big event.  
  
Back at Brandy Hall, Merry felt helpless. He couldn't go see Pippin on his own, and Pippin obviously couldn't either. And Merry was sure that the Took's last thoughts were to visit his family, not with a babe coming. No, Merry was going to have to wait for some family event. But the next one was Frodo and Bilbo's birthday, and that wasn't for another four months! What was he going to do until then? He couldn't possibly wait that long.  
  
Eventually, Merry got used to his old life as an only child. He spent most of his time reading, or just exploring outside the yard. Several weeks later, after Merry had given up on begging to see his cousin Pippin again, his papa brought up the idea of a fishing trip with Paladin and Pippin. Merry would do anything to see Pippin again, and of course he agreed.  
  
Paladin and Pippin took arrived at Brandy hall about a week later. When they showed up at Brandy Hall's front door, Merry saw that Pippin looked somehow different. He studied him for a long time, but he just couldn't figure it out.  
  
"Growth spurt," said Paladin, rustling Pippin's chestnut hair playfully.  
  
Merry stared at his cousin; he was at least two or three inches taller. This was a very big deal, for the hobbit had always been on the short side.  
  
"I'm almost as tall as you, Merry!" Pippin said proudly.  
  
"Sure are!" exclaimed Merry with a chuckle. Pippin of course had quite a ways to grow before being as tall as Merry, but it was a start.  
  
"My mother grew bigger too, Merry. Because of my little brother."  
  
Merry asked Pippin how he was so sure it was going to be a lad, and Pippin responded, "I just know these things, Mer."  
  
To Merry and Pippin's relief, Pippin and his father stayed at Brandy Hall for two days after their fishing trip. And after a lot of 'please, please, please, please, PLEASE's, Merry was allowed to travel back to the Great Smials with his uncle and cousin. And there he stayed for an entire week and a half, until Frodo and Bilbo's birthday dinner. The dinner was only open to Bilbo's closest relations and friends, including the Thain and Master's family.  
  
For the days Merry stayed with Pippin, the two mainly reviewed things they had done before. Merry tried to show him new things, but Pippin seemed to have figured it all out, "Pearl showed me a few things while you were away."  
  
"O..." Merry felt slightly hurt. He thought HE was Pippin's tutor. Why did Pearl have to steal his job?  
  
"She's not very good at teaching," added Pippin, "She's not like you. She talks all weird, and then she yelled at me because I didn't know how to spell her name... it's an odd name! Do you know how it's spelled? P-E-A-R-L."  
  
"How did you spell it before that?"  
  
"P-U-R-L."  
  
"Well, that's a simple mistake... It is an odd spelling..."  
  
"Pearl was just mad that it was HER name I didn't know how to spell."  
  
**  
  
The dinner at Bag End was very good. To Merry and Pippin's horror they found that Estella Bolger was invited. And the two spent most of their evening in Bilbo's study room They tried to save Pippin's little brother by keeping Eglantine in the room too, but she stayed for but three minutes to listen to Pippin recite the alphabet backwards. Pippin's mother must have told Estella where the two were, because the door later swung open, and there she was.  
  
"I've been looking all over for you, Peregrin Took!" she said, "Come on, me and some of the girls are having a tea party! You can come too!"  
  
Pippin shook his head, "It's OK... I'll stay here..."  
  
She giggled, "Come on!" and she grabbed Pippin by the hand and began to drag him away.  
  
Merry grabbed Pippin's other hand, "Estella! He doesn't want to go!" he pulled, trying to get Estella to let go.  
  
"Merry, what do you think you are doing?! Of course he does!" she pulled too.  
  
Soon it became a game of tug-o-war, with poor Pippin in the middle.  
  
"Let go, Meriadoc!"  
  
"No! You let go!"  
  
Eventually, Estella released her grip, and sent Merry and Pippin tumbling over. They stared angrily at the lass, who stood still, tears began to flood her eyes, "You're horrible, Meriadoc! I'm telling your mother what you've done!"  
  
"What did I do?!" Merry shouted after her, but she had already ran away crying.  
  
Merry sighed, and helped his little cousin up from the ground, "Are you alright, Pip?"  
  
Pippin nodded, "I'm OK, are you?"  
  
Merry nodded. He looked up and saw his mama standing at the doorway, glaring at him. She walked over to her son and grabbed him by the ear, "We're going home," she said leading him out of the room by the ear.  
  
Pippin ran after them, "But Aunt Esmeralda! It wasn't Merry's fault! Aunt--" Pippin stopped as he felt something pinch his ear painfully. He looked up and saw his mother, "Mother, I--"  
  
"Pippin, I don't want to hear any of your excuses! You need to grow up, Boy! Making poor Estella cry! Why, sometimes I wonder about you! And to think you're going to be an older brother! O, what a role model you'll make! Nothing but a bad influence!"  
  
"But, Mother I will be a good 'fluence, whatever that is, on my little brother! I will!"  
  
"Well, just be sure you are, you're not to take a single step outside your room for the next week!"  
  
"A week! But--"  
  
"A week! And that's final!"  
  
----  
  
OooooOooo! Pip's in trouble! Anyway, my apologies for getting this chapter out kind of late... Also, I'd thought I'd warn you that I plan to make THE NEXT CHAPTER THE LAST ONE!!! *gasp* How will it end?! 


	14. Brothers

Like Brothers  
  
Chapter 14  
  
Brothers  
  
Merry was in very deep trouble. Like Pippin his punishment was to stay in his room for an entire week. He tried to explain to his mama that it was Estella who had started the whole mess, but his mama didn't believe the tale. "Damn that evil girl!" Merry mumbled angrily to himself as he sat near his bedroom window staring at the outdoors.  
  
Pippin carried out his punishment with a lot of tears. He figured if he cried enough, his family would pity him and maybe reduce the sentence. His parents remained unaffected, but his sisters did help him by sneaking desserts into their little brother's room in attempt to cheer the lad up.  
  
In time, Merry and Pippin's punishments were ended. After many, many visits between the two cousins time passed quickly. And three months seemed more like three weeks. And then it happened...  
  
The babe was early. Merry, Pippin, Frodo, and all three of Pippin's sisters were kept in the dining room during the time of the delivery. None of the young hobbits knew what was happening, but it had been at least six hours of waiting.  
  
It was deathly silent while they waited. Merry saw that Pearl and Frodo looked worried and watched the time intensively. He knew the two were older and knew things that he didn't, but was too afraid to ask. Pippin, who had sprouted at least another inch, was growing impatient. Pippin sighed and turned to Merry. He opened his mouth to say something, but stopped when he saw his father enter the room.  
  
Everyone stared at him, waiting for him to speak.  
  
"Is my brother here yet?" asked Pippin. Paladin gathered Pearl, Pimpernel, Pervinca, and Pippin and lead them out of the room, leaving Merry and Frodo alone.  
  
"That's not fair!" exclaimed Merry, "I want to see him too!"  
  
Frodo shook his head, "Mer, I don't think..." his voice fell silent.  
  
"What?"  
  
Frodo cleared his throat, "I don't think the babe made it."  
  
"What do you mean? Why wouldn't he? Are you saying--"  
  
Before Merry could finish, the Took children returned. All three girls were in tears, and Pippin wore a shocked and slightly confused expression. Merry slowly approached Pippin as Frodo went to comfort the girls, "Pip? What-- What happened?"  
  
Pippin stared at Merry; his lip quivered as he fought back tears. "Mer--" he said softly, but couldn't find his voice after that.  
  
Merry wrapped his arms around Pippin, "O, Pippin, I'm sorry."  
  
The little hobbit buried his face in his cousin's chest and cried, "It was a lad, Merry... Merry, it was my little brother... and.... he's... he's... dead.... Mer, I didn't even get to see 'im, and... and..." Pippin wailed louder and louder, and all Merry could do was hold him in his arms.  
  
"It's not fair, Merry... He was supposed to be my brother... It's not fair!"  
  
"It's... It's OK, Pip. It's alright..."  
  
The dining room was filled with sobs and cries; Merry and Frodo caught in the middle of it all. Soon, Pearl pulled herself together and tried to help calm Pimpernel and Pervinca. Pippin cried himself to sleep, and Merry carried him to his room, and laid him down in his bed. Merry sat quietly beside his cousin watching him sleep. He wondered what would happen when Pippin awoke. Would he resume his crying? Would he be angry?  
  
But when Pippin awoke he didn't seem to feel anything. He sat up in bed and stared at the walls silently, After what seemed like ages he squeaked, "Mer?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"I was just thinking, Merry. And I remembered my mother told me I had a bad 'fluence... did that kill my brother?"  
  
"Your what?"  
  
"My 'fluence."  
  
"Pippin, I'm not sure what you mean by your... er... flooness? But you didn't kill that baby. It just... it was an early birth, Pippin and he just wasn't ready to be born. Pippin, it wasn't your fault. It wasn't anybody's fault."  
  
"But I was supposed to take care of him. I was his big brother and... I failed, Merry."  
  
Merry sighed, "Pippin, it's alright. I-- I know exactly how you feel."  
  
"You do?"  
  
Merry nodded, "That's the way I felt when I got you sick with pneumonia." Merry frowned remembering seeing his little cousin fighting for his life.  
  
But Pippin smiled, "Merry?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"You mean... you mean I'm like your little brother?"  
  
"Well, yes."  
  
"And your my big brother," Pippin grinned, "Merry, just because your my big brother doesn't mean I can't look after you. Don't worry, Mer, I'll make sure your safe! And... an' that Estella never kisses you again!"  
  
Merry smiled, "Thanks, and I'll be sure to return the favor."  
  
**  
  
The sun shined and it was a beautiful spring day. Many hobbits talked, laughed, and danced at young Meriadoc's fifteenth birthday party. Pippin had made it his duty to make sure Estella Bolger was a hundred feet or more away from Merry, so as not to ruin his cousin's special day. When the time came to open gifts, Pippin proudly handed Merry a piece of parchment rolled up with a emerald green ribbon as rich as Pippin's eyes tied around it. Merry smiled at it, "What's this Pip?"  
  
"Your present! From me! And I did it all myself! No help from Pearl, or my mother, or anyone! Go on, Mer, read it!"  
  
Merry carefully slid the ribbon off and unrolled the piece of parchment. He held it out in front of him and read it aloud:  
  
Happy Birthday, Merry Brandybuck,  
  
Today is special and I wish you good luck,  
  
That you don't get any kisses like that one you got  
  
And I want to say that I love you a lot,  
  
Because your my best friend, my cousin, my brother  
  
And I can't imagine playing hide and seek with no other  
  
Happy Birthday!  
  
Love, Pippin.  
  
Merry turned to Pippin, "Thanks, Pip."  
  
"No problem, big brother."  
  
The end.  
  
-----  
  
Sorry it took so long to get this last chapter up. I've been busy writing a short story for school and I couldn't find time to type this up. Anyway, thanks to all that have reviewed! Reviews make me happy! You've made me happy! Thanks so much! And I hope that this story didn't bore you too much... hehehe. 


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